Solo
by Meraki164
Summary: When father and brother go missing, the three remaining turtles are faced with two choices: stand together, or fall apart. "...the only thing I can say is, after all this, we're going to be different...Whether we succeed or fail, we won't walk away from here the same. Tonight will change the entire course of our lives."
1. Scavenge

***Welcome to my teaser for Solo. I've written my fair share of stories elsewhere, but none exactly like this one. I hope you will give it a shot. The fic is mostly finished, so there is no danger of me abandoning it.**

**This story is important for reasons I can't explain yet. But if you give me a chance, I promise...I will try hard not to disappoint you. I own nothing related to the TMNT. **

* * *

Splinter's ears automatically twitched at the sound of voices. It wasn't the first time he'd heard humans within the last thirty minutes, but on this occasion, they felt closer by. Paranoia over the individuals had driven him away from their project about ten minutes beforehand, to discern how much nearer they'd come.

He glanced back over his shoulder at the shipping container which had at first felt like a gift from Heaven. To find the unit wide open was an unexpected advantage, but the presence of people within the warehouse was something he could no longer ignore.

The rat darted the rest of the way up the ladder which led to a second level, and hurled his overstuffed bag across the platform. Splinter would grab it upon their exit, which now needed to happen sooner than later. He skipped the ladder on his way back down, choosing to silently somersault through the air, and landed nimbly on his feet.

_There is still a possibility we could return to this place at a better time. Seeing what I have in the last few minutes gives me good reason to bring all my boys back with me. Would that I could have done so tonight. _

Splinter's tail flicked angrily at the memory of the physical altercation between his oldest sons, which had resulted in them being banned from the supply run, and a third being left behind to help maintain peace in his absence.

The rat stole back inside the shipping container and snapped his fingers twice; it was his traditional signal for calling one of his sons to him when they'd been slightly separated above ground. He hesitated in the entrance of the unit, shaking his head at the sight of so many dry goods which were being forced to go to waste.

_With the number of starving people in this city alone, you would think that such a large company could find better use for their product, even if it is recalled._

Splinter listened intently for his nine-year-old to react to the hail, but heard nothing in response. _I warned Michelangelo to stay in here. He had better not have wandered off. _He veered between crates and boxes, backtracking to where he'd seen the young turtle last. Now that the humans were coming near their position, it was definitely time to go.

"Michelangelo," Splinter hissed, breaking his own rule for not speaking out in public.

He rapidly scanned over boxes in the immediate vicinity. All of them were properly sealed as if they hadn't been touched, making it appear his son had followed instructions. _Yet now that we need to depart, he chooses to disappear? I will consider hard before taking my eyes off of him in such a place again._

Lifting his head, Splinter collected the scents surrounding him, seeking out the nine-year-old. He grumbled under his breath while he followed what he could sense into deeper shadows.

"_Musuko?_" (son) he called softly, sending another harried glance backward at the sound of footsteps outside.

Splinter dropped on all fours to search for more definitive clues of the way the youth had gone, and was relieved to discover a trail which merely led deeper into the shipping container. Relief barely registered in his mind before the echo of voices gave him greater cause for alarm.

Panic caused Splinter to run the opposite direction from them, despite there not being another way out of the unit. _And I still must locate Michelangelo. It would be like him to try and play a game with me, but if he heard those men, he would stop at once._

Ignoring the urge to shudder at the threat of strangers, Splinter slipped between another row of crates, checking for any more signs of the turtle. He left his flashlight off for fear of attracting additional attention, even as he felt like screaming Michelangelo's name.

Splinter kept his mouth shut and focused on the scent he could pick up. When he took another deep breath to steady nerves, he detected a strange odor mixing with that of his son. His nose wrinkled at the chemical after-taste he couldn't identify.

"I'm positive I left it here," someone said from the entrance. "Or it could have been A64."

"You're a moron," a second returned. "Only guy I know who'd misplace something like that on the job."

"Didn't hear you complaining before," the original man retorted. "Go check the other unit, would ya? It's a red jacket with black accents."

"I doubt I need a description. Nobody else is dumb enough to leave clothes lying around with their _drugs_."

"Next time I score something good, I'll be sure and keep it to myself. Would you just check the other open one?"

Splinter didn't wait to hear the companion's reply. He cursed inwardly when the figure at the door jogged down the center of the container. The rat braced up against the side of the unit, staying near the ground behind boxes while his desperate search for Michelangelo was kicked up another notch.

He dearly wanted to call out for his son once more, but was now afraid to even whisper. While maneuvering between two crates, Splinter finally noticed the top of one was askew. The rat nudged the lid slightly to glance at its contents, and could tell the box had been somewhat rummaged through. The proof that it had neither been straightened nor closed correctly only increased his nerves.

Splinter sniffed the air again. The scent of both his son and the unfamiliar substance were strong enough that he felt he had to be getting closer. Not yelling for him required biting his tongue. The brash footsteps of the man tramping around the container should have been deterrent enough.

The moment came when feet hesitated, and the lack of sound was infinitely more frightening. Splinter was tempted to be disgusted with himself for fearing the human, but couldn't escape the concern of not yet having located Michelangelo.

The stranger began moving again, abandoning the center to cross in between crates the way Splinter had been doing. The rat dove out of the path, flattening against the wall at the disturbing proximity of the human. He valiantly fought to control his breathing and not give his position away, while praying the man would find something more interesting to do.

Ears twitched at another soft sound nearby, which was inconsistent with the figure who'd been making so much noise. Splinter crept quietly forward on his knees, heedless of the danger the man could pose for _him_. A soft gasp had the rat picking up speed to follow the signal which was more reminiscent of his son.

The faint traces of light which resulted from the pin-prick holes in the sides of the unit revealed enough for Splinter to be able to note the difference of shadows between piles of crates, and another bundle sprawled on the ground.

"Michelangelo?" Keeping his voice at a whisper was difficult while scrambling across the floor to the turtle. "Musuko." Splinter tugged hard on the youth's frame to upright him from his plastron. "Michelangelo, we must move now," he insisted, hardly audible. "You have to get up!"

"Sensei?" he mumbled. "'m tired."

The rat fixed on the jacket wrapped around his son's frame; an article of clothing he'd never seen, but seemed to match the description of what the human was searching for.

"Michelangelo." Splinter repeatedly patted the young turtle's face with growing urgency. "My son, do you hear that? We are not alone here. We have to flee." _But not before I remove the odd clothing choice you have made, which could endanger us both worse than I already have._

"You must take it off," he hissed insistly, pulling the young one's arms to force him to sit up. Michelangelo was limp in his grasp, and his dead weight immediately slumped backwards. "There is no time for this. My son, help me get it off."

The turtle made no effort to assist in the process, leaving Splinter the difficulty of wrestling the coat off of him. It was hard enough to both support his weight and force his limbs out of the sleeves, without having to do it silently. Michelangelo's right arm proved more difficult to separate than the left, and ended with the rat yanking stiff fabric as hard as he could to release him

The jacket whipped into Splinter's grasp, releasing a small, unexpected cloud when it collided with his chest. The rat buried his face in his own robe to muffle the instant need to sneeze, and caught a strong sense of the substance which had muffled his son's scent.

Once two sneezes were successfully contained, Splinter dragged the jacket by its sleeves closer to the middle of the container and waited a moment. When he heard the loud footsteps of their intruder, he moved cautiously toward them. The rat didn't want to leave the coat anywhere near his oddly-behaving son.

Splinter moved forward in a crouch for several paces, before throwing the coat on a stack of boxes. He desired to stay low to reduce the chance of being seen on his return to Michelangelo, but found his legs experiencing a strange spasm. The rat paused for a moment to stretch them out with a soft groan.

_I have not worked out hard enough tonight for them to feel like _that_._

Straightening up rapidly had the effect of causing him to stagger, and he was hit by another urge to sneeze. Splinter covered his face while stumbling between rows to locate the turtle again.

Michelangelo had pitched forward from the propped position in which Splinter left him, and the stillness of his form increased the rat's concern while he turned him back over.

"Musuko." He braced hands on his shoulders to lightly shake him, then stared upon the flaky residue on his skin. The scent reminded him of the cloud _he'd_ been struck with. "Michelangelo, what did you do?"

He didn't expect a reply from the youth, nor did he receive one. All thought of the amazing food haul they'd found that evening fled with the fear for his son's strange condition. _I must get him out of here, and into water._

The turtle's shell added to the burden of carrying him, although Michelangelo was otherwise skinnier than Splinter preferred. He was still perfectly capable of handling the son who already matched him for weight. At least, it wouldn't have been hard if the rat's own legs were supporting him properly.

Splinter waited for a minute to gather more hidden reserves of strength, trusting in adrenaline to assist his faltering body. Try as he might, he couldn't lift his son over his shoulder in a normal carrying position.

The rat had to settle for barely drawing Michelangelo from the floor, so that he mostly dragged the turtle's frame. _This is one of the most ridiculous risks I have taken, but I thought the pay off would be worth it. With Winter bearing down on us, I only wanted a little more assurance of my boys having enough to eat. Letting them scavenge as I have had to would not bother me as much, if the elements did not prove so dangerous to them._

Even pulling his son behind him was proving more challenging for Splinter than it should have been. He stared bleakly at the turtle and then glanced at his own arms, perplexed. _I am stronger than this. Whatever chemical is in that residue did something to Michelangelo, and I fear it may be hindering me as well. I must get both of us to fresh air, and away from these humans. To be discovered here in this condition would be a disaster._

His next tug of Michelangelo's arms resulted in nothing happening. Splinter bent over the youth, using the necessity to rest as an opportunity for a closer look of the turtle. He lifted his son's chin, cradling the turtle's head in both hands.

"Please, Michelangelo. Open your eyes. Show me _something_."

Splinter held his breath while praying for an answer, but didn't get one from Michelangelo. Instead, he heard a _whoop_ from nearby, signifying the human's cry of triumph.

"Travis, I found it! We can clear this section out."

Splinter hovered low over his son's body, as if he could hide him from the imminent threat of discovery. _By all means, human, move on from this place. The sooner you get out, the better._

"Yeah, maybe that'll teach you," his friend retorted. "You have any idea how close you cut it? Dinner break's over. C-Team is getting ready to load up. Did you even finish securing this rig?"

"Eh, close enough. And I would have found my coat faster with your help."

"I was checking the other unit like you said! What more do you want from me? I'm not the one who misplaced the jacket or your chrono."

"You enjoyed sharing some of it with me though, huh?"

Splinter cringed when the glare of a flashlight light cut through the air over his head, but remained bowed over the nine-year-old without daring to move.

"I didn't take anywhere near as much as you. Pretty obvious too, based on the way you're already losing it. You need to go home, man. I'll tell Fink you got sick."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine!"

"You look like crap. You've got to disappear before the boss shows. I'll tell him you threw up, but if he sees you, he'll know. Fink is a bloodhound."

"Thought he wasn't supposed to be here tonight."

"I told you two more teams got called in to help handle the recall. We have to get things moving, and you're in no condition to operate heavy machinery, Adam."

"That's because we weren't supposed to be loading junk," the intoxicated man grumbled.

"Look, man, if we argue for much longer, he'll catch you. Get the hell out of here, and I'll cover for you."

"Can I get your keys then?"

"Adam, you're not driving my car trashed. Take a cab. You remember where you live, right?"

"Shut up, Travis. I'll find my own way home."

_Whatever you are going to do, just _go_, _Splinter inwardly begged.

"Nah, I don't think so. I'll grab a cab for you myself, Adam, but I gotta finish here real quick. C'mon, move those feet."

_Yes, please move._

Splinter's arms shuddered with the effort of rising from the crouch, but he didn't mind the difficulty as much since the strangers were leaving. _It sounds as if they were using an illicit substance. I have encountered many drugs through my years, but this one does not smell like anything I have sensed before. I do not care for how it has affected Michelangelo or myself either._

Splinter leaned on the floor beside his son. _What did the young man call it? Chrono? I will have to ask Donatello to look that up at the Library, though I fear I will not be able to go with him. I do not know how I will get us back to the den in this condition as it is. Perhaps if I wait to regain some strength, I will be able to do more._

But the moment his eyes started to close, an alarm bell went off in his mind. _No! No, I cannot fall asleep now, else I may not get back up. Those men, they inferred that more are coming. We cannot remain here and risk being found, especially this helpless._

His 75lb frame felt unbearably heavy while he sat up, and tried to get legs beneath him. Limbs trembled with the exertion, and Splinter found he couldn't straighten his back. Closing both hands around Michelangelo's wrists, he tried moving him again. The rat only made it a couple of inches off the ground with him before knees buckled and he pitched forward, falling on top of the turtle.

Splinter cursed his inability to perform a simple task, and the noise he'd created in the process. The lack of response indicated he hadn't been heard by the young men, but it wasn't a true comfort. _There is no more opportunity for failure. I have got to get us both up._

The pile of boxes to his right looked distorted while he levered against them to assist in rising. Crates appeared to shift from side to side before his eyes, and left him unsure about their stability. Again he tried to straighten, and fell heavily against the containers. A couple of them were knocked from the stack, spilling precious contents across the floor.

_We risked everything for food tonight, and it was a mistake. We should not have come alone, or stayed when men were so nearby. I have learned my lesson, and will not do it again-_

The thought was interrupted by a tremendous _bang _which sent a shudder through his entire frame. What light had been filtering in through the open door vanished into thin air, leaving Splinter with nothing but the tiny beams which traveled through minuscule holes to see by.

_The door! _He forced his way up partially on his knees. _I must get us out – both of us. But where is Michelangelo?_

He jerked to his feet despite dizziness. The way he spun ended in him slumping sideways against the crates a second time. When one tumbled over on him, he barely felt its weight.

"Michelangelo? Where...my son...?"

Splinter's fingers grazed the plastic surface of the container on top of him, but he couldn't move it. He couldn't even fight with the continued weight of eyelids, nor stop them from closing a second time.


	2. Missing

*** I am now getting into a real rhythm of posting, and I need to say two things. First of all, don't expect quick or simple. This story isn't something that could be wrapped up in a 30 minute episode. I will post every other day for the duration of the fic, unless you ask for it faster. Which brings me to the second point.**

**I need help. I am coming off a major fiction fail that ended in me losing 99% of the online friends I gained over the course of ten years. Yes, this account is brand new, but I'm not. I was devastated, and I'm still not really over it. I don't like begging for reviews, but I need feedback. I need connections, even if it's only what you DON'T like. I won't get through posting this by myself. It won't happen. I am actively seeking friends, and am happy to return the reading/reviewing favor. Just ask. Like I am now. Please...criticize and rip me to shreds if you have to. But don't ignore me.**

* * *

The squeal of a door jarred the blue-masked turtle out of a dead sleep, and he instantly whipped toward the entrance to their lair. Even in his disoriented state, Leonardo was prepared with another apology for his Sensei, which he'd practiced several times that evening.

However, the heavy door to their den hadn't actually budged, so the thirteen-year-old was left to look around in confusion. Then Leo caught a shadow of movement near the stairs – what ended up being his purple-masked brother.

"Leo? What are you doing?"

Leonardo rubbed his eyes before replying. "I was waiting for Sensei and Mikey to get back." He glanced at the clock, noticing that it was after 3 in the morning. "It's already pretty late. Did they sneak in without me hearing?"

The ten-year-old shook his head. "No. Mike didn't come up."

"Must have a good haul," Leo murmured. "Why are you awake, Donny?"

"I'm hungry," he admitted, as if it was something to be ashamed of. "Thought a couple of crusts wouldn't hurt. Mike doesn't like 'em anyway."

The blue-masked turtle was quick to agree. "No, it won't hurt, especially with the supplies they're bringing with them."

"Yeah, hopefully." The dismissive quality in Donatello's tone wasn't a good sign.

"Are you still mad at us?" Leo had to ask.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Don returned softly, and headed into the kitchen.

Leonardo watched him go, and almost didn't pursue his brother. _Truth is, I don't want to talk about this either. But if I don't, Donny is gonna mope around here for a couple of days until I get truly sick of it._

When he walked into the next room, he found Don counting slices of bread. "We have more food coming," Leonardo reminded him, unintentionally eyeing his younger brother's too slender shoulders.

_Sometimes it feels like we take two steps forward, and five steps back. We all managed to put on a little weight this last Spring, but Summer took a horrible toll, especially on him and Mike. _Bouts of food poisoning had taken the household for days, and no one wore it worse than the purple-masked turtle.

"We already have mold starting," Donatello announced.

"Wasn't keeping stuff in the fridge supposed to help? The bread was expired when Raph pulled it from the dumpster, but we can usually get a little more life."

"Refrigerator is only working about half the time, Leo. If we kept it closed, things might stay colder. But Raph and Mikey seem to think that peering into the 'magic box' every five minutes will make more food appear."

"How much did we lose?" Leonardo cringed with the question.

"About five slices. Leaves us with six until we can restock. I don't need to eat anything." He was already tying up the bag when Leo reached out a hand to stop him.

"Don, take one."

"I'm fine. My stomach will stop growling – it usually does."

"I'm serious, bro," the teen reiterated. "Grab a piece and I'll get the peanut butter."

Donny looked appalled at the suggestion. "We don't have that much, Leo!"

"We'll have more than enough when Sensei gets back."

The younger turtle still looked torn, so Leo took the bread from him and separated out a slice. His heart sank a little over how light the peanut butter jar felt, but when he looked inside, Leonardo knew he could at least get a teaspoon out of it.

"Sit down, Donny."

The blue-masked turtle took longer to spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the bread than necessary, savoring the scent of the snack he dared not make for himself.

"It's not fair, Leo," Don objected like he was reading his thoughts. "No one else is eating. If Raph caught us, he'd have a cow."

"If I _breathe_ wrong, he has a cow," Leonardo grumbled. "But he also doesn't need to know. With the bread you already had to pitch, no one will miss that one piece."

He presented the half sandwich to Don like an offering, praying it might improve his mood as well as provide some needed calories. Donatello stared at the food like he was perplexed, and didn't automatically touch the bread.

"I already used the ingredients, Donny. You gonna let it go to waste?"

His brother gave him a dirty look. "Why do you seem to care so much sometimes, and not others?"

"I never stop caring," he objected. "Sure, I didn't take Raph's crap today-"

"That's not what I meant. Just forget it, okay?"

"How can I forget when you bring up things I know nothing about? If you could say what you actually mean occasionally, it'd be great."

The purple-masked turtle continued staring at the table. "Let it go, Leo."

"Until you randomly throw it in my face again."

"I don't want to fight. You and Raph go at it enough for all of us combined."

"I know you're pissed about being left behind tonight, Don. Why won't you admit it?"

"Why can't _you_ let this go?"

Leonardo had the urge to beat his head against the table. _But if I did that, I'd probably break one of the legs. _"Fine. I'll shut up if you eat."

Don eyed the bread and at least picked it up that time. Leonardo knew the tiny nibbles he followed with were only meant to make the treat last longer, because he often did the same thing.

"Hey, think about it," Leo offered optimistically. "If this works out, maybe we won't have to worry about food for a few weeks. That's _if _the stuff is actually safe to eat," he finished with a remaining doubt.

Donatello glanced up at once. "Leo, the recall covers undeclared allergens. Several lots of Kraft's* new packaging didn't mention the possibility of soy or peanuts. It's a massive lawsuit waiting to happen."

"That's really it? Ingredients are missing from the labels, so they have to destroy everything?"

The purple-masked turtle nodded. "Every last bit, even though it isn't harmful to anyone without an allergy. This is one of the biggest recalls in the company's history, covering at least a dozen categories of their snack-size packaging. I bet they'll have pretty long expiration dates too, since it all came out _after_ the new design was released."

Don took another bite of his "forbidden" snack. "With any luck, it'll help us get through the winter easier. Of course, we'd collect more if we were capable of working together."

"Donny, I know you're mad about tonight. You can stop pretending like you're not. You told me to drop it, but there you go bringing this up again. I'm _sorry_, okay? Raph pushed me all day, and he went too far after the match was called. Then the second I bite back, Sensei's there to see it."

"He's told you a thousand times-"

"I know what he's told me. I don't need _you_ to tell me."

"Leo, it would have been really cool," Donatello said stiffly. "How often do we get to explore new places? Or have a supply run with this kind of potential? I couldn't wait to get there. I'm the one who found out about the recall and did the research. But I'm also the one sitting at home twiddling my thumbs, like I already did all day. Never even made it to the library, and I really wanted to check my email."

"Are you still watching the auction site, Don?"

His brother glared instead of answering him. Donatello's method for selling memorabilia had been a matter of many discussions between the two of them, and they'd never been able to agree.

"How long have you had the one lot posted, Donny? Close to three months, isn't it? You're trying to draw out some big guns, and nobody's playing along. Why not break the merchandise up? What do you have against selling the baseball cards little by little?"

"I've explained this to you a dozen times, Leo. I don't see how saying it again will make a difference."

"I'm only trying to get you to see another side of it. Don't you think the money would come in faster if you broke the cards up into manageable auctions? What's the point of one massive lot that no one wants to bid on?"

"Leo, those cards are worth way more than I'll _ever_ get selling them online. Yeah, a lot of people will be more tempted by tiny auctions. But I'm holding out for the buyer who wants it all. I'm telling you, I have more earning potential from serious collectors if I keep the cards together."

"How long is that perfect bidder gonna take to show up? We could really use the money, Donny. I thought it was a great idea on your part from the beginning. I never realized what you could accomplish with Movo.* When you first brought up the possibility of real income, you had everyone excited. Now months have passed with nothing to show for it."

"You have to be patient, Leo! I'm telling you – it'll pay off. The second I make a sale, PayBuddy will directly deposit to the Movo card. The account has no fees, instant ATM and online access...None of which is convenient yet, since I still need the library for an internet connection.

"We have to do this one step at a time. Movo is gonna open a lot of doors for us. You're wanting to kick them down, instead of waiting for me to get anything unlocked. That kind of thing could do more harm than good. I need you to trust me, Leo."

"I do trust you."

"Then why are we having this conversation again?" Don demanded.

"Donny, you've done things in the last few months that are amazing, seriously. We can all see how smart you are. But you don't know everything. That's why it isn't a bad idea to listen to other people sometimes."

"I listen to you guys all the time – I just don't do everything you say."

"Bro, when you get an idea in your head, it seems to become an obsession. That doesn't mean there isn't more than one way of doing things," Leo pointed out.

"Of course there is. But in this case, I'm taking the longer road. It'll end up being more profitable than the short-term peanuts I can get for single cards. I know what I'm doing, Leo."

The blue-masked turtle shrugged. _Too "smart" to admit that there might be a better option._ "They're your cards, your auction. Do what you want."

"I'm doing this for _all_ of us, Leonardo!"

"All right," he relented, only because arguing was pointless. Leo motioned to the two-bite portion his brother had left. "Finish it please."

Don held the bread out to him. "You can have the rest."

The teen started to shake his head, only for Donny to shove the battered plate across the table to him. "Take it."

Leo wanted to resist, but in the end, he couldn't. He munched through the meager remnants of his brother's snack, and turned toward the door. "They'll be back soon. You ought to get some more sleep, Donny."

"It's not the same without Mikey's snoring."

Leonardo's eye ridges rose. "Are you saying you miss it?"

"I say that _now_. No telling how I'll feel later."

The older turtle pushed back from the table. "You wanna wait up for them with me? I don't think I snore, but I could fake it for a while." He was hoping for a smile, and Donny returned with a small one.

Donatello stifled a yawn while rising. "I'm sure it won't be much longer. Let's go keep watch."

* * *

It was later than Raphael expected when he woke up. The twelve-year-old rolled over with a start to face the glowing numbers of the alarm clock Donatello rebuilt for them. The read-out of nearly 7AM meant that he was already running behind.

He rose from the beat-up mattress which sat directly on the floor, and stretched out slowly. _Wonder how I ended up getting off the hook with Sensei and "Fearless". Maybe Master Splinter wants to take turns reaming us out separately. Doesn't give me a good reason to go downstairs._

The red-masked turtle carefully opened the door to prevent its persistent squeak. He peeked his head out of their room, listening for signs of life nearby. When he didn't hear any, Raphael chuckled. _Sensei musta worn out Mikey for him to be this quiet. Only way his big mouth didn't wake me up either._

Raphael ventured into the hall and glanced over the railing, staring at the living area below. The decrepit, sagging excuse for a couch was currently occupied by a couple of his brothers, who appeared sound asleep. He only had a few seconds to be confused, before a devious thought entered his mind.

Raphael silently entered the nearby bathroom and grabbed two plastic cups off the side of the sink. He filled them both with the coldest water the faucet could supply, and snuck back into the hallway. The red-masked youth moved even more slowly down the steps, consciously controlling his feet not to make a sound.

After creeping up behind the sofa, he settled for merely throwing one cup in Don's direction, and simultaneously dashing the other directly in his older brother's face. Leo's yelp was a lot more satisfying than the purple-masked turtle's sleepy grunt, but his mission was accomplished.

Raphael snickered unashamedly at his rival while Leonardo rubbed water from his eyes, and then fixed him with a glare.

"What's wrong with you? Do you have to be a jerk from the second you get up?"

"A ninja should always be aware of his surroundings," the twelve-year-old mocked. "I got points on you _and_ Donny this morning. You guys were sitting ducks!"

Donny's irritation was milder, but he still took the chance to throw his dampened blanket at him, which Raphael easily deflected.

"That leaves you at six points to my eighteen for the month," Leo retorted.

"Only 'cause you wake up so early. The high and mighty don't usually sleep in this late."

"Sleep in?" The blue-masked turtle jerked to look at the clock. "What...Don, when did you fall asleep?"

"I don't remember, Leo. Sensei and Mike must have come back without either of us hearing them."

Leonardo's brow furrowed at once. "But...if Mikey was here, he would have laid down _with_ us. He can't resist a turtle pile."

"Maybe he didn't wanna snuggle up next to the snitch," Raph suggested.

Leo crossed his arms with another dark look. "Do you have to start this early?"

"Bro, it was never finished."

"Yeah it is, because I don't want to get in worse trouble than we already have."

"It's hard to be the teacher's pet when y' can't keep your hands off me, huh?"

The teen's arms dropped to his sides, but clenching fists told Raphael he was getting to him. "Quit pushing. It's not gonna work."

"Right, because it's always my fault. You never do anything wrong. We're the ones who are all against ya, because you're so perfect."

"Stop it – _stop_ calling me that."

"I would, if you didn't act like it every day. You think you're better than any of us. That's why you're at Sensei's side, giving him those little reports like some three-year-old tattle-tail. You just gotta be his favorite, don't ya?"

Leo's return chuckle was dark. "It's not hard competing with your bad attitude. Of course he likes me more than you."

Before Raphael could stop himself, his grip landed on his brother's shoulders. "You take that back."

The blue-masked turtle wasn't intimidated, and his hands flashed out to meet Raphael's threatening posture. "Can't. I believe in telling the truth."

"Take it back, _now_." Raph's tone lowered, even as his anger grew.

Leonardo's smirk was like adding gasoline to the flames. "Make me."

Despite the lack of serious muscles, the red-masked turtle's sturdy frame automatically gave him an advantage over the rest of his counterparts. Leo was the only one who ever challenged him outside of a spar, and Raphael wasn't about to let it go today.

He went to shove his brother into the wall with a snarl, only for Leo to slip under his arms and dodge to the right. The next time Raph dove, it was with greater intent. The teen spun out of his grasp once more, but the red-masked turtle anticipated the maneuver, and caught Leo's ankle with his foot.

The twisting motion sent Leonardo tumbling sideways, and Raph leaped on the vulnerability. The older turtle's right leg snapped out to connect a powerful blow with Raphael's plastron at the last second, landing so hard it took his breath away. The red-masked turtle wanted to rail at his brother, but was instead reduced to a humiliated, gasping heap.

"Raph! Are you okay?"

The sight of the teen kneeling mere inches from his frame was all it took to reenergize the floundering turtle for a comeback. His fist plowed into his brother's face with as much force as dared put behind it, sending Leo to the floor.

Witnessing the way his eyes teared in reflex to the blow was enough to make Raphael grin, until he realized the bruise his brother would end up with too. _Well, we already got in trouble for fighting. What else is Sensei gonna do?_

When Leonardo scrambled to his feet, both his breathing and rigid posture indicated the fight wasn't over. Raphael stood back without an ounce of fear and motioned for him to come.

"How much you got in ya, _Fearless_? I ain't done by a long shot."

Leonardo blinked rapidly; an indication that his eyes were still stinging. His set jaw, however, gave no hint of surrender. "You _will_ be done. I'm not going easy on you anymore."

"Is that what you call the roundhouse y' just gave me?"

"Don't act so innocent, Raph. You want to end this, or not?"

"I'm waiting for you to finish talking, Leo." Raphael was gearing up for another unexpected lunge, when Donatello suddenly inserted himself between them. Up until that moment, he'd forgotten the purple-masked turtle was even there.

"Guys, knock it off!"

"Stay out of it, Donny!" Raph ordered. "Mind your business."

"Just get out of the way," Leonardo said evenly. "He has to learn, Don."

"Oh, and you're the one to teach me?" Raphael laughed. "I'll show your perfect shell what it means to fight dirty."

"A true ninja would never stoop to such tactics-"

"YOU GUYS!" The younger turtle's follow-up shout had the effect of startling both of them. "Shut up and listen to me! Sensei and Mike aren't here."

Raphael's tense position faltered after a beat. "What do you mean, Donny? Where else would they be?"

"I don't know, but they aren't around. Maybe you two could stop fighting long enough to help me look for them?"

Leonardo went from bristling to uncertain in a flash. "That doesn't make sense. They've got to be close by."

"They're not in the den. I looked everywhere."

"They had to come back," Raphael proclaimed. "Sensei wouldn't mess up something like that."

"We should check the sewers," Leo said decisively. "I bet they're on their way, even if they haven't made it yet."

"What if they ain't?" Raph challenged, still defensive against his older brother.

"They are. Come on, guys. We need to move."

* * *

***I own neither Kraft nor Movo.**


	3. Looking

Donatello hesitated in the sunlight which streamed through the overhead grating, and listened for signs of danger on the surface. The only thing he heard was the thumping bass of a car stereo, which added to the beat drumming inside his own head.

The purple-masked turtle backed away from the light with a grimace, leaning against the tunnel wall while massaging his temples. After a couple seconds passed he realized he couldn't hear his brothers anymore, then looked wildly left and right.

"Leo? Raph!" Panic rose much faster than it should have, probably owing to current circumstances. They hadn't found any trace of their father or missing brother, and judging by the sun's position it was getting close to early afternoon.

A rush of feet preceded his red-masked brother careening around the corner.

"What?! What's the matter with you?"

Now embarrassed, the ten-year-old fell back from the larger turtle's advance. "Nothing, I...I didn't know where you were."

"Keep up then, Genius."

Somehow, Raphael's begrudging use of the nickname _still _came off mocking most of the time, rather than a real compliment.

"I've been keeping up, but this isn't working," Donatello wavered. "I'm starting to think we won't find them this way."

"We're not gonna know that unless we keep looking," Leo answered from the shadows. "I get that it seems kind of bad right now, but it isn't completely. I'd rather find nothing than evidence that they were injured or...worse."

"Leo, we've gone too far," Donny insisted. "I want to find them too, but our position doesn't make any sense. We backtracked beyond where they would have started, when you consider their direction from the surface."

"There's no way to be sure," the blue-masked turtle argued. "Don, you're fixated on the idea that they came down in a typical place, but anything could have happened between where Sensei and Mike started, and where they ended up. We don't even know that they made it to Reid's warehouse."

"Also got no proof that they're wandering the tunnels lost in the dark, but here we are," Raphael muttered.

"That's because this is all we can do right now." The way Leo's tone flattened signified danger, and Donny immediately knew not to disagree with him any further. "We obviously can't hit the surface until the sun goes down."

"I think we're gonna have to split up," the red-masked turtle said. "We could cover more directions."

Despite being nervous to speak, Don felt he had to. "We _can't _split up. It's not safe, especially above ground. Anything could happen, and the others wouldn't even know. Just like with Master Splinter and Mikey."

"I'm not afraid," Raph asserted. "You can stay with Leo. He's good at acting like the daddy."

"We're not splitting up!" The way Leonardo's voice shook made Donatello cringe. The blue-masked teen was on the verge of exploding again, and he didn't want to witness another fight between his brothers. Getting between them before already felt like taking his own life in his hands.

"You can't tell me what to do-"

Don threw caution to the wind when Raphael took a deliberate step toward their older brother. "Please, don't do this. It's bad enough without you guys fighting. I really don't think we ought to separate, Raphy. We're all safer together. It's what Sensei would want."

"Yeah, but he ain't here." The shudder in the twelve-year-old's frame was barely detectable, but it was the first sign of Raphael's true concern. "Something went down last night, and we need to find out what. If that means going different ways, I'm still gonna do it."

"No, you're not," Leo ordered sternly.

"You ain't the boss of me. Being the teacher's pet doesn't mean you're in charge every time Splinter turns his back."

"Would you get over yourself, Raph? Just because Sensei's not here, it doesn't mean we should throw his rules out the window."

"Even _you_ don't follow his rules all the time, Leo. If you did, we wouldn't have started working on the surface to begin with."

"We got his permission after that first time we fought off those thugs. It doesn't mea-"

The violent banging of a door over their heads interrupted the blue-masked teen, and made Donny dart further away from the grating into shadows.

An agitated voice followed the commotion. The older turtles appeared frozen where they crouched, waiting within what small daylight penetrated their underground world. Donatello couldn't understand the snippets of a foreign language, but they sounded distinctly Chinese.

"Guys," Donatello whispered. "C'mon. Let's go."

His brothers acted like they didn't hear him, staring up at the grating as if there was something they could currently do.

"Open the door!" the speaker finally asserted in English. "I bring delivery! You place large order."

Don heard the faint echo of someone responding, but it sounded extremely distant and garbled. _Over a speaker maybe? _"Guys, can we please go?"

The first man's volume increased along with his repeated use of the different language, followed by additional banging and another threat. "Open up, or I call police!"

The statement made Leo and Raph exchange a look, but they still didn't budge. Don backed down the tunnel slightly, hoping his brothers would follow if he started without them. "I'm going back," he told them. "Are you coming?"

The sound of a door violently slamming made Donatello flatten against the wall, as if someone could see him.

Another voice shouted a racial slur. "You call the cops on me, and I'll give you a reason to! I didn't order no fricking Chinese. Now get out of here, before I punch your head in."

"It was your address which called. What is your telephone number?"

"Idiot, you ain't listening!" the second speaker's volume increased. "Your threats don't scare me one bit. Get your dumb butt out of here, and take your crappy food with you!"

Donatello heard a cry, and the sound of a collision. There was a string of curses, and finally the slam of another door. The ten-year-old remained still when the original man began talking to someone else in his own language. The way he received no audible answer indicated that he was on the phone.

He was hopeful his brothers would follow him now that the altercation had ended, but Raphael was stretching for the grating instead, and pulled himself up by the bars.

"Raph, what are you doing?" Leo demanded softly.

"He lost his whole load!" the red-masked turtle whispered excitedly. "There's gotta be six boxes up there."

"Raph, don't you _dare_-"

"He's grabbing his bike and leavin', Leo. There ain't nobody else around."

"I forbid you to go up there!"

Raphael looked down incredulously. "You forbid me?"

The twelve-year-old swung toward the wall to get leverage for his feet, and bounced off it to propel his shell into the grating.

"If you do this, I'm not covering for you!" Leonardo insisted.

"That's cool, Leo. Having something to tattle about might motivate ya to find Sensei faster."

Raphael twisted around toward the side he'd popped loose, and punched through to remove the grate.

Don didn't breathe when his brother disappeared. He was desperate _not_ to hear anything from the other side. After a few seconds, it was no longer possible to hold his position in the shadows. Instead, he scrambled over to where the blue-masked teen was now pacing beneath the opening, jaw clenched.

Donatello could tell how badly his brother wanted to yell, but there was no way he'd risk it. Seconds ticked by like hours, until Raph's head ducked into view.

"Guys, here. Catch!"

He dropped a plastic bag over the edge, which Donny was in a better position to snag from mid-air. The sticky sauce coating the outside of the sack almost made him lose it, and Leo smoothly plucked the precious cargo from his grasp.

"One more!"

Don leaped to retrieve the second, prepared for a mess this time. The top box lost some of its rice along with another sauce he couldn't identify, but he didn't even flinch, wrapping arms tighter around the bundle.

Raphael dangled over the side to pull the grating back down, and fixed their older brother with a smug look. "Not a bad haul, eh, bro?"

"When Sensei finds out what you did in the daylight-"

"Is that the first thing you're gonna tell him? Nice to know what really matters to ya, Leo."

"Uh, guys?" Donatello spoke up before Leonardo could respond, shifting his precarious load. "These boxes aren't stable. If we're gonna have a chance of saving the food, we need to get home."

Raph peered at the badly leaking bag and grimaced. "Yeah. The dude dropped everything, but I saved most of it." He pulled the sack away from Donny and surprised the younger turtle with an apologetic look. "Sorry it got on you."

Don waved off the sticky hands and brown sauce coating half his plastron. "It's no big deal. That was better than dumpster diving, and the food is probably safer too. This much Chinese might hold us for a couple days, as long as we keep the fridge closed."

"It _is_ a big deal," Leonardo countered. "You wouldn't listen to me. You risked your life, and for what?"

"_Food_, Leo," Raphael retorted. "Still need to eat in order to live, last time I checked. I'm not gonna force Chinese down your throat if you don't want it. But if you don't get off my shell, you'll be eating my fist again."

"Stop!" Donny's voice resounded much louder than it probably should have, given their proximity to the grating. "Our family is missing. They're missing, and you two still won't quit fighting with each other. We have much bigger problems than your need to butt heads! Can you call a truce for a few hours, at least until we find them?"

The blue-masked turtle glanced down with a flash of shame. "You're right. We have to make this work, Raph, so let's try to get along. Okay?"

"You think it's all on me, Leo? Why don't you quit trying to tell us what to do? If you weren't so full of yourself and learned to shut your mouth, I wouldn't need to shut it for you."

"Am I supposed to take the blame for everything?" Leo's tone was dangerously shaky.

Don had another urge to yell, and barely contained it. "No, Leo's not the boss of us, but he isn't the only one causing arguments, Raph. You both have to stop it, or we're not getting anywhere!"

The purple-masked turtle looked between the pair to find Raphael sulking, and Leonardo nearly seething. "Don't you guys get it? Something bad happened last night. Sensei can do just about anything, so for him not come home...It would have to be extreme. The chance of him and Mike being hurt or..." He couldn't finish the sentence. "The odds aren't in their favor. Not by now."

Silence persisted in the tunnel for well over a minute, until Don quietly continued.

"Nothing else matters at the moment. Not who's perfect, or who gets to call the shots. We just have to find them. Raph? Will you work together with us? I know you'd rather split up and do your own thing, but we have no way to communicate or keep track of each other."

"What about them radios you were fixing up?" His brother's question was earnest. "Thought you were getting close with 'em."

"They're working, Raph, but limited to a two mile radius. Meaning the moment one of us moves out of range, they're worthless."

Raphael glanced down at his leaking bag. "Meanwhile, we're about to lose the rest of this. We need to head home."

Leonardo didn't say anything as he spun on heel to go back the way they'd come. He traveled several paces before speaking. "This is kind of overwhelming," he admitted. "We don't know where they ended up, or anything that happened along the way. Are they hurt? Were they discovered? Where are we supposed to start?"

"We've already started," Donny pointed out.

"Yeah, but we didn't get anywhere," Raph negated. "That's why I still think we need to divide to cover more ground."

When Leo stopped suddenly, Don was afraid he was about to go off again. Instead, he caught the red-masked turtle by the arm with a pleading expression. "Raph, I don't know what to do. I really don't. I have no answers for either of you. We can't afford to lose sight of each other. I promise I'll try to listen, and take suggestions from both of you. But we _need _to stay together."

"You still think you're the one to tell us what to do!" Raphael accused.

"I'm not gonna boss you around, Raph. We can be partners, like when we're secretly hunting the bad guys in our neighborhood."

"You ain't done nothing but try to tell me what to do in _days_, Leo."

"It's only because you're scaring me," the teen blurted out. "You keep taking mad risks, and you'll end up paying a huge price.

"What risks?" Don echoed. "Anything else like going to the surface in broad daylight?"

Raphael shot the oldest turtle a dirty look and shook his head before facing Donny. "It doesn't matter. I'm here, ain't I?"

"You won't be if something happens to you, like it did to them!" Leo inserted louder.

"We don't know it, though," Raphael mentioned. "They could be waiting at home right now. Might have showed up after we left."

"Either way, we need each other, Raph," Leo said, resigned. "I...I can keep my mouth shut about you breaking rules, if you agree not to ditch us."

The twelve-year-old folded his arms with irritation. "I'll only do things your way for so long, Leo. You ain't the only one who can have ideas. In fact, I'd rather hear what Genius thinks our first steps ought to be when the sun goes down."

Donatello wasn't expecting _that_. He wasn't even sure if Raphael really meant it, or was desperate to do the opposite of what Leo wanted. Either way, he decided to offer something. "I'm gonna go through the street maps when we get back. Break down a couple of the most likely routes they took."

The purple-masked turtle faced Leo hopefully. "But you still know the buildings and neighborhoods better than I do."

The thirteen-year-old was miffed; Donny could tell. Yet appealing to his knowledge was akin to allowing Leonardo to maintain some of the control he appeared to thrive off.

"Yeah, we'll look at maps together," Leo agreed after another beat. "But you need to eat and get some rest first."

Donatello sighed. "Leo, I'm fine. If you start babying me again..."

"If you were fine, you wouldn't have been falling behind before, Don. You aren't slower than the rest of us."

"I got distracted, all right?"

"You realize I can tell when you're lying, don't you? I won't let you have any input if you aren't honest with me."

"My head hurts, but I think it's got more to do with stress. That and you guys fighting," Donny added. "Seriously, you have to stop."

"It ain't got nothing to do with ya, bro," Raphael told him.

"Nothing to do with me? Raph, everything you do effects us. How can you not see it?"

"'Cause you guys_ let _it affect you. Just let me be and worry about yourselves. We'd all be a lot happier."

"No, Raph, we wouldn't." Leo's tone was firm, but at least it didn't sound commanding. "Because we have nothing to do with wherever Sensei and Mikey are right now, but it still has an impact. This family is all we've got. So whenever things go wrong with one of us, it has a trickle-down effect.

"Raph, we need you, all right? I can admit it. Please cooperate so we can work together."

"I want you to _listen_ to me," Raphael insisted.

"I will listen."

"And you won't tell me what to do?"

"Raph, sometimes I have to. Splinter isn't always around, and you keep doing your own thing, no matter how dangerous it is. Am I supposed to be quiet and let you?"

"Would that kill you?"

"Leo, you do tend to speak up about a lot of things," Don wheedled. "Maybe...you could limit directions to when we're honestly in trouble, and not study every step we take."

The blue-masked turtle looked between them wistfully. "I'm supposed to watch over you. All of you. Sensei expects me to help keep this family safe. And I didn't do it."

"What are you saying, Leo?" Raphael scoffed. "You almost took my head off for going into the scary alley."

"I'm talking about last night, Raph. We were supposed to be on that field trip. Sensei said it would be one of the best opportunities we've had. And we weren't there, why? Because you and I can barely coexist lately."

Raphael stared down at the tunnel and refused to look up.

"If we hadn't fought, if we'd been there, wherever they are...I don't think this would have happened," Leo finished slowly. "Families take care of each other, and we didn't. But that's on me."

Raphael's head jerked up at once. "Why's it on you?"

"Because I'm the oldest, and Sensei needs more from me."

"What am I, the screw up no one can count on?" Raph challenged.

"No. You're a hothead who doesn't always control himself. But it's not your job to take care of us. It's mine."

"Ain't no one ever gave you that job, Leo. You're making stuff up in your head. Being guilty won't bring anyone back."

"I'm not making it up. I've been looking out for you for years, Raph, even if you won't admit it. That's why I can't agree not to tell you anything to do. If I see something, if a situation feels off, I'm going to take action. When I see danger, I won't let you walk into it without a fight.

"But I'm also not putting you on a leash, and I won't tell Sensei about every deviation you make...as long as you stick with us. Can you do that, Raph?"

The red-masked turtle eyed both of them suspiciously. "I guess we gotta work together for now. But you better not get used to it, bro. I'm not letting you get in the habit of calling the shots."

Donny felt a little relief, even if it would only be a short respite. _But where are we supposed to start? That's the next thing to figure out._


	4. Trapped

A violent vibration coupled with a tremendous bang jarred the orange-masked turtle awake. Michelangelo felt the impact of the blow like it'd traveled through his entire body, and it left him trembling in its wake. Another crash made him cringe, expecting to be shaken a second time. This one, however, was muffled and further away.

Mike rose partially on his elbows, staring around the semi-darkness of an unfamiliar space. Brow furrowed while he tried to determine where he was exactly. The next step was to find out how he'd gotten there, and what he was supposed to do _now_.

He swallowed as no obvious answers occurred to him, and found his throat simultaneously sore and as dry as sand paper. Tiny traces of what appeared to be sunlight shining through the walls suddenly registered for the turtle.

That realization led him to understand it was daytime, and he had to be in danger. The thought made him try to lunge to his feet, but muscles were slow to respond, and felt heavy. Mike could do little more than draw both legs to his plastron, while the urge to panic made his heart skip a few beats.

His near anxiety attack was interrupted by another crash which sent shock waves rolling through the room, and caused the cold floor to shudder. It was followed by a loud, repetitive beeping which made the youth clutch his throbbing head.

_Why am I alone? Why am I here? _Where_ is here?_

Michelangelo squinted at the ceiling and then peered at the walls, trying to make sense of the narrow space. His lack of comprehension only added to the uneasiness of the atmosphere. Tears threatened at the helplessness of not knowing what had happened, or how to get out of the unspecified mess in which he was trapped.

He sniffed a couple of times to control the emotional urge. It would make sense to give in if his Sensei or brothers were there. Even the red-masked turtle was known for taking pity on Mike from time to time. But having no one around to help him grounded the nine-year-old in the necessity _not _to panic.

Sitting up further made him feel dizzier in addition to weak. _It's not usually like that, unless I haven't had the chance to eat-_

The musing was instantly cut off by the flash of the last thing he could remember. _ I was hungry. We all were. That's why Sensei and I came out to..._

The temptation to melt down increased ten fold with the memory that his father was supposed to be there.

"_Master!_"

Mike clapped both hands over his mouth after the outburst, though a distinctly mechanical ruckus on the other side of his prison cell drowned him out.

"Sensei?" he queried softer, but with no less fear. _He _was _here with me. There's no way he left. Master Splinter couldn't have._

Michelangelo lowered the legs which had been clenched against his chest, and tried to stand again. Even desperation wasn't enough to force limbs to support his weight, but he found it possible to shuffle awkwardly on his knees.

After traveling a couple of yards, the orange-masked turtle relaxed on all fours to catch his breath. _This is messed up. I still don't know what happened, but I can't just sit here forever._

As he inched a short way further, possibilities crowded his mind. _I guess we could have been trapped in the container, but why? I don't get how I lost so much..._

The youth paused in his slow circuit of the unit. _It's good that nobody found me. But it doesn't mean they won't. Did they get Sensei already? Is that why I can't find him?!_

The nine-year-old shook his head, refusing to believe it. _No way something hurt him. He might be trying to teach me a lesson, but he'd never let us stay out after the sun came up._

When he resumed the crawl, one of his hands immediately landed on a scratchy, familiar surface. He was elated to find his backpack, though Mike wasn't sure why. He settled back on his haunches to draw the bag into his lap.

Pawing through the contents, Michelangelo found several of the pre-packaged items his Master had instructed him to take, along with the wrappers from a couple of snacks he hadn't been able to resist right off the bat.

_I felt kinda bad because it still seems like stealing...but no one else was gonna eat that stuff. Donny said everything is going to be pitched._

Mike sent another glance to the sunlight drifting in through the ceiling. _What are the guys doing right now? How will they know what happened, when _I_ can't even figure it out?_

He looked down at the perfectly edible food in his bag, but didn't feel like eating now. Mike was more thirsty than anything as well as...scared. The youth didn't want to admit the last part to himself. _Ninjas aren't supposed to be afraid. Be cautious, careful, but never terrified. That's hard to do when I'm alone and stuck-_

A third _clang _against the outer hull of the shipping container got his attention, especially when he heard two voices behind it. Mike scrambled backwards rapidly, collapsing on his shell when his body couldn't support the action. The simple knowledge that humans were so close made his breath constrict and shoulders tremble.

_Can't let 'em get me. I can't. But I couldn't hurt any of them either. Please stay on that side, dudes, you don't need to come after no innocent little turtle..._

The fact that he probably wouldn't be able to escape the unit unless someone let him out made Michelangelo's heart sink. _They'll have to come in here eventually, just to get the stuff out. But how long do I gotta wait before-_

A shadow of movement made the youth gasp. His first inclination was to backpedal again, but on this occasion, he was too nervous to move. The piercing, beeping sound of a machine made the new figure jolt along with Michelangelo, but after another instant, the turtle recognized him.

"Sensei!" The cry erupted faster than he could prevent yet again, but he almost didn't care if anyone else heard.

Michelangelo's first attempt to dart toward his Master ended with him landing on his face. He resorted to crawling once more, while calling for his father without restraint. The rat was fighting his own way off the ground even as Mike crashed beside him, catching his robe with grasping fingers.

Anxious breaths emerged in short gasps while he held onto Splinter, to reassure himself his Master was really there. Arms encircled him in return, firmly embracing the young turtle. A sob came up immediately, along with Michelangelo's desire to bury his face in his dad's shoulder.

"_Otosan*,_ I thought they mighta got you! I didn't know where you were, and no one was around but-" (*Father)

The light pressure of the rat's hand cut off his tirade, which was sort of a gift. The speech only reminded him how much his throat hurt.

"Shh, my son. You _must_ be quiet. We are not the only ones here."

Mike nodded mournfully and fixed on his father. "Otosan, what happened?" he asked softer, leaning closer to his ear.

"I am not certain, Michelangelo. They are clearly doing something with a machine out there. Hopefully their work will keep them occupied for a while yet."

The young turtle heard the strain in Splinter's voice that time. "Master, are you really tired too?"

"I believe something strange affected us, Michelangelo. One of the last things I recall was finding you here, unresponsive."

"I don't remember..." he mumbled.

"Do you recall feeling badly?"

"I...not really, Master. I know we came to the warehouse."

"What about the coat?"

The question provided a flash of inspiration. "Oh, yeah! The cool bomber jacket. It was like Raphy's, only it didn't stink and wasn't stained or nothing."

His red-masked brother's trash-picked find was still his pride and joy, and Mike had paid the price for touching it more than once.

"A young man came looking for that coat," Splinter said reproachfully.

The turtle balked at what was surely a precursor to a lecture. "I wasn't keeping it, Master, honest! I just found it, and wanted to blend in. Every spy needs a disguise."

"I realize you meant no harm, Michelangelo." His Sensei sounded weary. "But I think the owner of that jacket was using a drug which left an impact on us both. I cannot forget the smell of the residual powder I found on you."

"But where are we, Sensei? We never got out of the container, did we?"

Splinter shook his head. "Clearly, we did not. We are going to have to leave, but our time for the moment would be better spent resting. It would not be safe to escape now, when there are likely more humans working. We must wait for them to leave before getting out ourselves."

"Master, do you think the guys are okay?"

Splinter's pained expression was hard to see. "I am sure they will be, Michelangelo, though I imagine they are worried that we did not return."

"You think they'll come looking for us?"

"Perhaps they would, musuko. They knew where we were going, but...it is not safe yet for your brothers to venture out either."

Mike was silent for a long beat. "I wish they were here. That's gotta sound stupid."

"You are not stupid, Michelangelo. While I would not want them to be in any such danger, I would feel better if I could communicate with them too."

The young turtle looked back at the ceiling. "This is my fault, isn't it? I touched something that wasn't mine."

The hands which landed on his shoulders were firm. "It was not your doing, Michelangelo. You did not knowingly take a drug, or force it upon me."

"But you said only to get the food, and I took that dumb jacket. So it is my fault."

"I should not have left you alone that long, my son. We also should not have stayed at all with the humans nearby, but I thought it was worth trying..."

"We need food," Mike piped up.

The rat's hands squeezed him with reassurance. "The temptation was great, but it was a mistake to come on our own. The blame is with me, Michelangelo."

"Don't say that, Sensei." He snuggled against the comforting scent of his robe. "You're a good dad, and the greatest ninja ever. No box can hold you in."

Splinter's chuckle was hoarse. "I do not need to be the 'greatest ninja' to escape such confines as these. I am positive there is a way out, and we will find it, once the warehouse is safer for us to emerge. In the meantime, I want you to get some more sleep."

Mike cringed at the request. "I can't, Master. What if those guys come in here?"

"They seem to be busy elsewhere. In order to escape, we have to be at our best, musuko. I want you to rest, and I will keep watch."

"What about you? Don't you need to sleep?"

"We will take turns, Michelangelo. But all of this talking is hurting my throat, so I would prefer to remain quiet now."

"But when-"

Splinter's hand softly covered his mouth again. "Go back to sleep. Everything will be all right, I promise you."

Mike's fingers tightly wound around his Master's robe while he lowered beside him, and prayed he'd be able to relax. It was better than where he'd started, but there was still quite a long way to go.

* * *

Another crash startled Michelangelo awake, to the surprising revelation that he'd be _able_ to sleep. The turtle rubbed his eyes and looked up at his Sensei, from where he was lying in his lap.

"How do you feel, musuko?"

Mike shifted and slowly rose on hands and knees. "Stiff. Have we been trapped in here for a week?"

"I think we would be much hungrier if we had slept that long."

The nine-year-old swallowed, but found no sign of moisture. "Feels like I haven't had a _drink _in weeks."

"Patience, Michelangelo. We will get out soon, after the men's day is ended."

Mike peered closer at his Master. "You'd better get some sleep too. I promise not to yell unless someone else is coming."

The rat's apprehension was clear from the way he gazed at the far wall without speaking.

"Sensei, I won't get into more trouble, I swear. But you don't feel good either."

"I will be all right, Michelangelo."

"You can trust me, Otosan. I won't do anything else so stupid."

"This is not your fault..." Splinter groaned, then rubbing his throat. "I must stop talking."

Amidst increasing concern for his father, Mike suddenly recalled something else from the night before. "That dude with the jacket, he had other stuff."

"What?" Splinter murmured.

"He left a bag right by where I found the coat."

"Why does that matter?"

Michelangelo sent a swift glance over his shoulder. "I'm gonna have a little look around."

"No, my son, you must stay close-"

"I'm not leaving without you. But there could be something else that would help-"

"Sit _down_," the rat commanded with more strength.

"Master, I know I screwed up before. But a small search won't hurt me, and I need to stretch anyway. It'll be all right."

"Michelangelo, please-"

"I'll be back. You can hear me and everything."

Mike rose from his crouch, legs tingling. He staggered through the first two steps like he was a zombie in the middle of the night, but managed to stay on his feet.

"I'll keep talking, Sensei," Mike called out, even though his own throat grated with the words.

He reached a hand over to steady himself on a crate, and then relied on one box after another to help keep his balance.

"Michelangelo," Splinter's voice carried faintly around the obstacles. "Please do not go far."

"I'm not," he answered as simply as possible, just to save some pain.

_Where did I start? Ugh, everything looks the same, but the container isn't that big. If I stumble around long enough, I'm bound to find-_

His hand missed the next target, and left the youth grasping in mid-air. Mike pitched forward before he could catch himself and went down with a bang.

"Michelangelo!"

"Just practicing my falls!"

Mike allowed himself a few seconds to breathe before getting back up. _This ain't that bad. Sort of like getting the flu and food poisoning at the same time. Always lived through it before..._

He rested his head in his hands a little longer before shuffling in the same direction, hoping to run into something useful. _What would the guys do if they were here? Leo never woulda left Splinter. Sensei's gotta be mad that I walked off at all, but if I can find it, this will be worth the trip. Donny could probably make things better in a heartbeat. I really wish he was here._

Michelangelo had to pause again, and pictured his red-masked brother spitting out vindictive insults. _At least, he'd pretend to be mean. No matter how grumpy Raph gets, he's always around, keeping a close eye on me too. Don's theory that he actually likes all of us deep down might not be far off. I'd be happy to see his big 'ol shell right now, even if he only smacked me upside the head. After what I got Sensei and me into, I deserve it._

The difficulty of the situation made him feel like crying again. Breaking down was all Mike wanted to do, and the only thing he thought he was capable of. If he'd had one of his brothers to rely on, it's what he probably would have done.

But the knowledge of his suffering father brought a surge of defiance, which gave him the power to keep going on unwilling feet. When he tried to pick up speed, it caused him to stagger heavily against another crate and wipe out a second time.

He waited for his Master to chide him after falling into an ungraceful heap, but only silence met him. Listening carefully, Mike could neither hear anything on the outside of the walls encasing them, nor inside the container itself. With another moment he picked up the beeping, but could tell it was further away than before.

Michelangelo struggling partially upright and stared his Sensei's direction. "Master?"

The orange-masked turtle still heard nothing in response, and concern spiked higher. Heedless of the danger from being detected, he yelled Splinter's name three more times, before rising a few more inches off the ground.

_He's okay, right? Just tired. I slept and he didn't, so now he needs a turn. That ain't all we need. If I could do one useful thing..._

The thought fizzled while he exerted the effort to get up the rest of the way. Calves felt too weak to support him, and the youth was airborne for all of three seconds before coming back down to earth. _I'm really not good for anything. Can't even help myself. How am I supposed to get something for Sensei?_

On impulse his leg lashed out, merely to expend some frustration. He accidentally connected with a crate hard enough to hurt his toes, and to send whatever products the box held scattering. The dull sound of plastic colliding with metal rang a chord with the turtle, and reminded Mike of his goal.

The idea of possibly being close to what he needed lent Michelangelo a little more energy, and he scrambled on hands and knees after rolling objects. His breath hitched when a hand closed around the familiar neck of a plastic container. The weight of the bottle alone was almost enough to make him want to cry for a different reason.

When he looked closer, Mike could tell that the seal on the sports bottle hadn't even been broken. He grew instantly frustrated when the lid was harder to get off than it should have been, but he was determined for the small relief the drink offered. The satisfaction of getting some liquid down was so great that he sighed deeply, and nearly relaxed too much.

_No. I have to get it back to Sensei. He sounds like he needs it more than I did. But first..._

Mike searched a little further across the floor, until he located the actual shopping bag which possessed two _more_ bottles from Heaven. One was a sports drink like the first, while the other looked like some kind of soda. As far as he was concerned, it didn't matter what any of it tasted like.

His body cried out for another drink, but he didn't dare take any more yet. Instead, Mike called his Master's name for the fifth time, and clutched the plastic bag harder when he didn't get an answer. _I've got to get back to him, now._

Turning around, he tried once more to get legs to cooperate with him, but had to begrudgingly accept the position on his knees. _Man. When we get out of this, Leo and Raph are gonna give me a hard time forever. For once, the sooner, the better._


	5. We Three

Frustration and a general impatience to do something caused Raphael to bust through the kitchen door with unusual force. That was how he came to catch his purple-masked brother jumping a mile, and juggling the plate he was scraping back into one of the to-go containers.

Raph's first inclination was to tease him about being startled, right before realizing what the younger turtle was doing. "Why are you putting it back? That better have been some seconds, Donny."

"I ate enough," Donatello defended, yet carefully avoided his gaze.

"Ya ate enough?" Raphael caught his brother's shoulder, and Donny's flinch gave away the lie too. "Didn't even finish what Leo gave you, huh?"

"I had _enough_," he repeated louder. "I know what I need to get by."

The red-masked turtle shook his head, exasperated. "The take-out won't last forever, 'Genius'. Why would you bother wasting this when I went to the trouble of getting it?"

"I'm not wasting anything – that's why I put some back. Because I ate an okay amount."

Raphael's glare pierced through the smaller turtle, daring Don to look at him. "I don't know why you bother lying, Donny. You suck at it."

"What do you care, Raph? It leaves more food for everyone else. When Master Splinter and Mikey get back, they're probably gonna need it."

Raph's hands tightened around his brother's shoulders, and he felt Donatello cringe under his touch. The larger turtle immediately let him go. "What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like I'm gonna bite?"

Don backed up and dropped into a chair without a word.

Raphael scowled at him while doling out another helping of the fried rice and chicken mixture back onto the plate. "I didn't risk my shell in broad daylight for ya to starve yourself. Now you're gonna sit here and eat every bit, or you ain't coming with us tonight. I'll make sure of it."

"Raph, I don't need as much as you and Leo!"

"You need way more than you ever eat, Donny, and I'm sick of you playing a martyr."

"If I'm functioning fine on what I get, you've got no reason to worry or complain."

"You're not fine," the older turtle snapped. "You ain't recovered any of the weight you lost this summer. Don't make me kick your shell, Don. I don't wanna have to do that."

Chocolate brown eyes widened while he made a sudden grab for the plate, and Raphael smirked. _Guess I can put the fear of God in him after all._

_ "_I'm not the only one who doesn't put on weight," Donny pointed out, nodding at Raph wistfully. "For as much as we work out, even your muscle development isn't where it ought to be."

"I'm plenty strong, bro. I don't need to demonstrate it, do I?"

The statement made the smaller turtle edge away from him. "I'm only saying...if you and Leo got additional nutrients, it would help build _real _muscle. That's why you need more than me. You're the ones who go out looking for trouble."

"We ain't looking for trouble, Donny. We're trying to clean up the neighborhood a little. It's gotten so kids ain't safe after dark no more."

The way the purple-masked turtle shifted a couple more inches away bothered Raphael, and he couldn't ignore it anymore. "Where are you going, Don? Why do you keep retreating like...you're scared or something? I ain't never done anything to you."

"You fight with Leo," he returned.

"'Cause he ticks me off on purpose!"

"I don't think it's always intentional. And it doesn't take much to make you mad, Raph. I just...I don't want to risk getting on your bad side."

The statement stung Raphael more than he cared to admit. "You're not Leo, okay? And yeah, maybe we fight, but we've never actually killed each other. We always end up all right."

"I guess. But being alone with you guys makes me nervous. If either of you really lost it...there's nothing I could do."

"We're not going to lose it, okay?" Raph insisted. "We're gonna find Master Splinter and Mikey, and we'll be home before dawn. But you can't come with us unless you eat."

His brother began working through the pile of rice to appease him, but seemed extremely wary. "Leo wants to start close to home," Don offered quietly.

Raphael shook his head. "I know all about what his stubborn shell thinks. But I gotta figure, if they were that nearby, they shoulda been here by now."

Don nodded his agreement. "I don't want to picture either of them being hurt badly enough to cause this kind of delay."

"Where would you go, Genius?"

Donny looked up from his plate, confused. "Where do you want me to go, Raph? I'm eating, so I can come with you."

"Where would you start looking for Sensei and Mike?"

"It's not up to me."

"I'm asking you for real, Donny. What do you think about it?"

"I'm the wrong one to ask. You and Leo have been more places on the surface. I mostly end up in the same locations: either the library or the dump."

"Don, where would you start?" Raphael asked lower, allowing a dangerous edge to enter his tone.

"I don't know! I can't tell you where they are, Raph, but..."

"But?"

"I would go to Reid's warehouse. Whatever happened to them or went wrong...it's a new place. Unfamiliar territory. If something strange occurred, I'd expect it be there."

"Was that so hard, Donny? Dang, if you're gonna act like a genius, you gotta open your mouth once in a while."

"I suggested it to Leo," he retorted indignantly. "You already know what he decided."

"And what we think don't matter?"

"I'm not fighting with him, Raph, _or_ you."

"We don't have to, Don, because I'm gonna back you up. Fact is, I agree with ya."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I say we start at the warehouse, and work our way out from there. If Leo don't like it, he can go ahead and pout. We outnumber him."

"Raph, please don't piss him off at me-"

"It's a better plan, Donny. His perfect shell doesn't know everything, and he ain't the boss of us."

"But he knows it was my idea! I already talked to him-"

"Don. If Leo wants to give you a hard time, he'll have to go through me. Is that good?"

His brother's uncertain gaze relaxed slightly. "Okay. If you say so."

"I do. Now finish that plate so you can keep up with us, and I'll tell Leo how it's gonna be tonight."

* * *

Running across their rooftop playground was so commonplace, it almost felt like a normal night to Raphael. The red-masked turtle didn't usually bring up the rear though, and it cemented the difference of their current activity. He wanted Donatello in his sight at all times, as he was still waging an internal war with anxiety for his younger brother, in addition to some guilt.

_Never noticed him getting more nervous around me, not until today. Hope that's only because we're down to the three of us. But it won't be that way for long, because we'll find the others too. We've gotta. Master Splinter and Mike will be there, I just know it._

Upon landing on the next roof, he noticed he couldn't see either of his brothers. _Shell, how did I lose 'em? This can't be hap-_

The urge to panic was silenced by a shadow waving at him from the corner of a roof diagonal to his. Raphael took a sharp breath with his following leap, rolling to join Leonardo and Donatello in the darkness.

"What are we playing, hide and seek?" he demanded. "Kinda thought we had more serious stuff going on than that."

"Raph, shut it," Leo returned crisply. "We're only a couple blocks away. We have to figure out how to move before we get there."

"What's to figure out?" Raph shrugged. "It ain't gonna be that hard to sneak in. We're not talking about Fort Knox."

"But there _are_ probably still people there," the teen shot back. "We need to look for our family and avoid the workers at the same time. How do you suggest we do it, since you wanna be in charge tonight?"

"Shell, someone else can't have an idea once in a while without you getting pissy, huh? I'm okay with jumping in and worrying about humans if we actually run into 'em, Leo. I don't see no point in being scared in advance."

"I'm not scared." Leo's voice flattened. "But I think this is going to be harder than you do."

"I think our dad and little brother are missing, and ain't no human gonna stop me from tracking them down. If you'd get off your high horse for one second-"

"Guys, quit," Donny inserted. "You said you wouldn't do this. It doesn't help. How do you want to go in, Leo?"

"Sensei and Mike used the roof vents, right? We ought to be able to do the same thing. How many blinders do you have, Donny?"

"About a dozen. It was all I had the supplies for."

"Didn't Sensei have to put some up last night?" Raphael asked, doubtfully peeking into his brother's tattered backpack. The innocuous plastic-coated film didn't _look_ very helpful. "I don't get what the blinders really do."

Donny turned toward him. "Even if Master Splinter applied them to cameras, they won't last an entire day. Once they're stripped and in place, they have about a 2-3 hour shelf life of obstruction, depending on the environment. They're designed to dissolve completely within that time frame."

"Oh, wow." Leo groaned, sounding anything but impressed. "So we're under a time limit, on top of everything else."

"We don't have to apply all the blinders at once, Leonardo," Don told him. "We can travel in a circle, and put up the strips as necessary to hinder their vision."

"I don't like this, and I wish we had more," the teen lamented. "There isn't time though, so we'll make the best of it. You guys will listen to me when we get in there?" Leonardo eyed both younger turtles in turn.

Raph returned with a mild glare. "It's nice how ya think you're the only one who can do anything right."

"Bro, are you going to cooperate, or not?"

"Depends." His answer was intentionally vague, and intended to annoy the blue-masked turtle.

"On what? I don't want to sit here all night, Raph!"

"Neither do I. I ain't the one who stopped."

"What do you intend to do inside? You said we could work together."

"Yeah, Leo, _together._ Not with you being the boss of it all."

"Why don't you stay here, then Don and I will go without you?"

"Donny don't wanna go without me. We could go without _you_, and probably get more done."

"_Guys!_" Donatello hissed. "Stop it. Huge problem, remember? We're on the same side."

"You and Raph are anyway," Leo muttered.

Raphael tensed, trying to control his flaring temper, and sent a glance to the purple-masked turtle. "We ain't stupid, Leo, and y' don't need to act like we are. We can do this without screwing everything up."

"Are you going to listen to me, or not?"

Raph fixed his brother with the darkest look he could muster. "To a point."

Leonardo wasn't satisfied with the answer; the red-masked turtle could see it in the narrowed eyes which stared back at him. Yet the teen spun to gaze in the direction they're been traveling with another huff. "Be that way, Raph. But also remember if you act up, you're putting all of us in serious danger. Let's do this."

* * *

Raphael felt weirded out sneaking into the building, but wasn't going to admit it. Instead he concentrated on breathing normally, and settling down the heart-rate that was already out of control for no good reason. Their progress inside was so painfully slow, it gave nerves more time to increase.

He bit his tongue to keep from saying anything while his younger brother finished another camera, but dearly wanted to tell Donny to hurry up. Upon feeling someone else's eyes boring into him, Raph tilted his head toward Leonardo. "Am I breathing too loud for ya, Fearless?"

"Just keep it down a little longer. I think Don's almost done."

"And then we can move?"

The blue-masked turtle nodded somberly, then pointed over Raphael's shoulder.

Their younger brother somersaulted through the air, and landed without a sound on the platform in front of them.

"We should be okay here, at least for a couple of hours," Donatello allowed, and reached for his watch. "I'll set up an alarm so we know when we definitely need to move on."

"There are still a handful of people around," Leonardo mentioned. "We have to avoid them. Don't make a single sound, and keep your eyes open."

Raphael was tempted to add a remark about not knowing what to do without him, but stayed silent. It wasn't the time or place for another argument.

The faint incandescent glow of overhead lighting barely illuminated shipping containers below, but Raph knew there were more of them than he wanted to think about.

Leonardo leaped first, lunging off the higher platform on which they'd been poised, and quietly shimmied down a pole from there. After watching Donny do the same thing, Raph deliberately found his own way down, refusing to follow the path his older brother set. The teen stood with crossed arms until Raphael strolled over to them.

"Now what?" the red-masked turtle asked innocently. He surveyed the number of containers in that particular section alone, and already felt overwhelmed.

"Now we look," Leo filled in. "I didn't want to start here, remember?"

"We ought to split up," Raph declared, for an excuse to get away from him.

"We're not splitting up," Leonardo said through clenched teeth.

"But they are close enough together, we could probably search more than one container at a time," Donny pointed out.

The teen scanned their surroundings, and Raphael noticed a flash of the same intimidated look _he'd _been fighting. "I still don't know if we should be here."

"We're _here_, Leo, so we gotta do something," Raph said gruffly. "Maybe they didn't get stuck, but it's one of the possibilities we gotta explore, isn't it?"

When his brother didn't answer, the red-masked turtle grumbled a curse and took a short jog to the closest unit. "How do ya get in to these things?"

Donatello circled the one he was studying, and softly called Raphael's name. When the older turtle came around the side, he found his brother fiddling with a steel cross-bar that stood out like a sore thumb. _It would help if I used my eyes. Doesn't get much more obvious than that._

Within seconds, the smaller turtle was slowly sliding the bar to minimize the noise, and they both winced when the door echoed lightly upon release.

"Not hard to get from this side, but they're also not that quiet," Donny warned, like they hadn't all heard it. "You have to _ease_ them open, guys."

"Raph, please don't touch them," Leonardo requested at once.

The red-masked turtle glowered at the floor, inwardly fuming while the pair continued.

"Pull from the center, and that's it?" Leo verified. "It doesn't seem difficult. I would expect better locks."

"These haven't been secured yet." Donatello's tap of a second longer cross bar over their heads drew Raphael to look up. "See? They're not completely locked down."

"Okay, so we can do this," Leonardo agreed. "You don't think we're in for surprises?"

"Probably not, no. Some companies use motion sensing technology in their containers that would trigger an alarm, but it's very unlikely-"

"Motion sensors? Alarm?" The blue-masked turtle fell back a pace.

"Leo, listen. I researched this. Those types of precautions are normally used for valuable merchandise. All we're facing at the moment is a massive food recall. I bet we'll be just fine."

"Would you be able to tell if they had motion sensors before we accidentally set one off?"

"Not without some equipment of my own. But if they had sensors, Master Splinter and Mike would have set them off too."

"Maybe they did," Raphael murmured. "Maybe someone found 'em in there."

"I doubt it," Don replied, with a confidence that bewildered the red-masked turtle. "If they were found, it probably would have made the news, and security would be tighter. Look how quiet it is. I don't think they know anyone ever broke in."

Leonardo glanced around cautiously. "It doesn't seem like they do, but just the same..."

"We came all this way only to stand outside?" Don sounded offended, then swung the door open without further hesitation.

Leonardo jumped backwards, Raphael stayed rooted to his spot, and Donatello went into the container without another word. The silence which met his approach was a good sign, but Raph still felt like jumping out of his skin by the time his brother came back.

"It's clear," he told them. "We have to keep looking."

The purple-masked turtle moved on to the next, as Leo shifted closer to Raphael.

"I don't know how we're going to do this, Raph," he admitted. "There are so _many."_

"We don't got a _choice_, Leo."

"Of course we don't, but they might not even be here! They could be hurt, trapped somewhere else, dying, and we wouldn't know."

"Does no good to think like that, bro," Raphael said mechanically. "You gotta assume they're still out there, and Sensei and Mikey are okay."

"If they're not?"

"Only way we're getting through all of this-" Raph paused to make a sweeping gesture of the large room. "Is by believing there's still a chance of saving 'em. So let's help Donny keep looking."

Leonardo hesitated another beat, tentatively stretching a hand around Raphael's shoulder. "We will find them," he agreed. "Whether they're here or somewhere else, we won't quit."

"Not a chance, Leo. I ain't going home empty-handed tonight."

The blue-masked turtle tapped his shell and trailed after Donatello when he moved on to the next shipping container.

Raph followed behind with less certainty than he'd mustered for his brother. The near impossibility of the task set out for them loomed over his head, but for the time being, he had to try and ignore it.


	6. Escape

Persistent fingers patting his face welcomed Splinter back from darkness only to find...more darkness. His eyes automatically squinted to focus on indistinct shapes, and the shadow of a young turtle came into view.

"Michelangelo." He achieved very little volume. "Where-"

"Otosan, hold on. Hold on, I got something for ya."

The nine-year-old was intent on helping him sit up, but Splinter couldn't maintain the position on his own. In the end, he was leaning against his son instead.

"It's all right," Michelangelo soothed, reaching an arm over his shoulder. "Here, Master. You need to drink something."

The sickeningly sweet beverage wasn't something the rat normally would have chosen, but the relief it provided made him not hesitate to accept more.

"Where did you find that?" Keeping his voice low seemed to aid the words in getting out.

"Guy with the jacket left 'em behind. I've got three different drinks, though...I went through half of the first one. Tried not to take too much, but I was really thirsty."

"I imagine you still are, musuko. Please take some more."

"No, I saved the rest of this one for you. Been trying to wake you up for a while," he admitted.

Splinter hated the worry in his tone. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments before turning his neck toward the turtle. "How long?"

"A while," he repeated. "I dunno how long it really was. Can't tell what time it is, except that it's dark and quieter."

Splinter took another drink when his son offered the bottle, but found it harder to swallow than before. It felt like trying to force down a bowling ball, rather than mere liquid. "Michelangelo, are you all right?"

"Yeah, Otosan. I feel better, especially since drinking. But you...um...you don't look good."

The rat didn't say anything immediately, because he wasn't sure how to respond. "I do not feel any different, even having rested," he finally acknowledged. "It is as if I am still being hindered."

"But why?"

"I do not know, Michelangelo, except..."

"Except what, Sensei?"

"I still smell the same chemical. It is possible my fur carries residue of whatever it is."

"You need a shower," the youth said knowingly.

"We need to get out," Splinter corrected, raising his head to look around again. "But I am not sure how."

"I could take another look at the door," Michelangelo offered. "I couldn't get it to budge earlier, but it wouldn't hurt me to try again."

"My son, I want you to stay with me."

"I've gotta do something, Master. At least let me _try_. I really am okay."

Splinter craned his neck to meet Michelangelo's eyes, seeking out the truth of his statement.

"Sensei, I swear I feel a lot better. Let me get you set up, and I'll take a closer look at the door. It's gotta have some weakness, right?"

The rat knew he was being paranoid where his son was concerned, but still didn't want Michelangelo out of his sight. _Yet he is not threatening to disappear, and he does seem stronger._

"Check the hinges," Splinter relented. "I believe the one door is the only way in or out."

The rat caught the dim flash of Michelangelo's smile.

"Okay. I'm gonna help you sit up against the wall before I go. Think you could drink some more?"

Splinter hesitated from answering while his son pressed him against the side of the container. Young hands supported him for several moments, until he felt more stable.

"Set the bottle there, Michelangelo. I will get through it."

The youth straightened, but didn't leave at once. "Sensei, you'll be okay if I have to help _a lot_, won't ya?"

He gave the turtle a withering look, which was probably mostly lost in the darkness. "Michelangelo, I do not need you to look after me."

"But if you did, I'm strong enough to do something. It was only a couple of weeks ago, I jumped those buildings with you-"

Splinter sighed in frustration. "You have already demonstrated the ability to support my weight. I allowed you to carry me across _one_ building, to prove a point to Leonardo and Raphael."

"Yeah, and I did it, without help from anyone. I just wanna make sure you're okay, Otosan."

"I _am_ all right, musuko." _Or, I will be soon._

Michelangelo edged a couple steps backwards. "I'll keep talking, so you know where I am. You don't have to yell or nothing. Save your voice, and I'll tell ya what I'm doing the whole time."

Splinter started to nod, and then reconsidered the motion. He left his head where it rested against the wall, and attempted to track the young turtle's movement in what small light filtered through their prison walls. When he couldn't see his son, the rat reached for the drink Michelangelo had left within reach.

He attempted to grip the bottle, but shaky fingers left him in fear of dropping the precious commodity and wasting what little they had to live on. _We dare not lose even a tiny amount. I will need to wait for Michelangelo to return before touching it. Surely I can stay awake until then._

The necessity to keep himself conscious was clear. The fact that he'd "disappeared" for a good portion of the day without meaning to made Splinter fearful of even shutting his eyes. _It is not Michelangelo's job to care for me; I must look after him. I have to do better than this, if..._

Splinter's thought trailed off while breathing unconsciously deepened. He wasn't aware his mind was phasing until a soft snap sounded, inches from his face.

"Sensei? Master Splinter, are you awake?"

The rat blinked rapidly. "Not...entirely."

It took Splinter a couple more seconds to get his bearings, and realize how tense his son's frame was. "Musuko, do not fear for me or yourself. We will find a way out. I only require a little more rest, and I promise, we will escape this place."

Michelangelo busied himself with drawing Splinter up against the wall from where he'd slumped down. "Otosan, someone is out there, close by. I heard 'em."

His breath caught automatically. "Could you see anything?"

"No. The holes aren't big enough, and it's still pretty dark."

The rat cocked his head to listen, but didn't pick up any commotion like the heavy machinery had made earlier in the day. In the following silence, he strained to hear what Michelangelo referred to. When he didn't detect anything, it frustrated Splinter more.

"What did you hear, my son?"

"It was...um...scuffling at first. Like someone was _trying_ to be quiet. There was a bang too, but it was...That came from further away."

"Michelangelo, I want you to go back to the door, and continue listening for me."

The turtle cringed at his request. "Sensei, I don't want you falling asleep yet. You didn't drink any more."

"I cannot," he admitted. "But this is important. I assure you, I will be all right."

"I don't know..." the youth faltered.

"Michelangelo, _go_."

"Not unless...Master, I need to bring you with me."

Splinter managed to shake his head, then cleared his throat to attain more volume. "You will do as I say. I need you to listen."

"I can't do this without you. Gotta make sure you don't go to sleep before you get what you need."

"I cannot follow you either, my son."

"That's why I said I'd help." The sudden lightening of the nine-year-old's tone contrasted with the threatening atmosphere.

Still, Splinter grunted with disapproval when Michelangelo wrapped both arms around his torso, and hauled him partially off the floor. "I only need time to recover somewhat."

"It doesn't seem like you're recovering, Sensei. Why am I feeling so much better than you?"

"I cannot say, but..."

The futility of arguing made the words die on his tongue, and he had no more defense while the nine-year-old pulled him over his shoulder.

"There's other stuff you could do," Michelangelo suggested casually. "If you drank more and got some real food in you, I bet you'd feel better too. At least we're not hurting for something to eat. When's the last time we got to say that?"

The turtle's parting laugh made Splinter wince. Despite the "joke", his son's words were no exaggeration. Regret tugged in his mind even as he allowed the youth to lift and then carry him across the container. Splinter kept the burden to himself; it was not the moment to begin apologizing for things he couldn't control.

_There is little more I can do to provide for them, other than what I have been doing. Searching for another solution is what drove us here, and left Michelangelo and myself in this terrible predicament._

He sensed no weakness in his son's frame and experienced a small measure of pride for the youth's ability to recover. _He has not even truly panicked, at least...not that I have seen. Michelangelo seems so much older than he is sometimes, but that is true of all of them. With the glaring exception of their increasing rage against one another._

Annoyance and disappointment were quick to resurface when he considered the events from the previous afternoon. It was not the first time Leonardo and Raphael had come to blows outside of the boundaries of a spar, but he was deeply disturbed by their level of commitment to the actions.

_They continued in spite of my presence, whereas before, they attempted to hide all traces of physical altercations. It is possible they are dangerously escalating, and here I have been allowing them to occasionally intervene in the crimes within our own neighborhood._

_ Their disrespect may only encompass one another for the moment, but what if it portends something more serious? I question now if I should have taught them to fight at all..._

"Sensei."

The snapping of fingers before his face a second time made Splinter scowl.

"I am not a dog, Michelangelo, nor am I asleep."

"Sorry, Otosan. I just want you to drink something, okay?"

The young turtle's insistence resulted in him forcing down a couple more painful swallows. Michelangelo was pushing him to try once more when the sudden blast of music made the youth juggle the bottle and almost drop it.

"Whoa! They're gonna nee-"

Splinter's hand clapped over the turtle's mouth again. From the time his boys were young, he'd impressed the necessity for silence into them, but Michelangelo predictably struggled the most.

The loud beats of the song made it unlikely anyone _would _hear him, however, so after a moment he withdrew his hand to cover his ears. Splinter was grateful when the volume decreased a few notches, but it was followed by another unwelcome sound. An expletive charged tirade rang out, only to be answered by a second voice. The grating of something against the entryway made him tense even more.

Splinter scooted away from the door, which was only a couple of yards from him. Though he lacked the power to stand, his desire to escape was desperate. "Michelangelo." He barely breathed the nine-year-old's name. "We must retreat."

The youth leaned over him. "They don't sound like the workers."

"I am sure they have different crews, Michelangelo. We must hide, at once."

"But this could be good, right?"

The rat shook his head sharply. "We cannot afford to be found here."

Michelangelo pressed against the wall, as though trying to see through tiny pin-holes.

"You are not going to catch sight of them, musuko. Come away from there, and please help me. We must take every precaution."

"It might be our chance to get out," his son whispered.

"The danger these strangers pose is too great. I will not risk it." _Not as long as you are with me._

_ "_We can do this, Master," Michelangelo insisted. "It's like the...uh...What was the lesson last week? You talked about a spot that sounded the same as this."

_I was not picturing myself helpless inside of the scenario._

"Misdirection," Splinter filled in.

_ "_Yeah, that. We need to get their attention on something else." Michelangelo turned around, and his gaze roved over several crates. "We've got a few things to work with, but why would they be distracted by any of it?"

Splinter closed his eyes briefly, thinking. "It is not necessarily food which would occupy them, but curiosity. Their attention would only need to be diverted long enough for...Michelangelo, how fast can you move?"

The young turtle actually bounced on the balls of his feet. "I've _always _been the fastest."

"Yes, but you have not been well. I want you to run for me, now. Go to the back of the container, and return as quickly as you can."

Michelangelo saluted him with two fingers, and scrambled off into darkness. Splinter berated himself for not reminding him to be quiet, but it seemed the youth was staying true to his training. That was until his son came running back toward him with a chortle.

Splinter caught his mask tails for a sharp tug and motioned for silence with his other hand. "All right. One more time, Michelangelo. But on this pass, I want you to forge a path _behind_ the crates. It may require moving some items."

"No, it's like an obstacle course. I can do it, Sensei!"

The turtle's inexplicable energy puzzled the weary rat.

"How are you harboring this much excitement, Michelangelo?"

His son chuckled much softer than before. "A lot of those bars had chocolate and they were _good_. You need to try 'em."

The rat groaned into his hands. "Okay, musuko. I need you to be serious, because it is time to-""

The grinding of metal-on-metal reverberated through their door, and nearly sent Splinter into heart failure. Michelangelo's hands were on him in an instant, dragging the rat behind the nearest crates. He felt his son tremble as another clang indicated the entryway opening.

Splinter caught the turtle's wrist and squeezed it hard. "Not a sound, Michelangelo. Not one," he whispered. "Can you do this?"

Michelangelo nodded, not daring to speak when a shadow crossed by the open shipping container.

"Nah. I think it's only more of the same stuff," the male declared. "We ought to just empty a whole container and call it a night."

"You're such a moron," his companion complained. "Best part of my cousin getting us in is the chance to come back for better things. If we make a lot of crap disappear, the game will be up. The food is chump change. It's not as worthwhile, but this is a start."

"You need to hit up the right neighborhoods," a third volunteered, distinctly feminine. "These snacks will move like crazy in Harlem. Half those kids don't get enough to eat at home."

"Except for the ones with peanut allergies, right, Sam? You wouldn't hurt some little snot on purpose."

"Ain't our job to police anyone's sensitivities, Gabe. People like that ought to know better than to buy random junk off the street."

Splinter swallowed, and concentrated on Michelangelo. "My son. We need an avalanche at the back."

The orange-masked turtle nodded. "I'll be real quiet."

"Return quickly, but you cannot be seen-"

"They won't."

The rat rubbed his eyes when the young one disappeared. _I cannot believe I am letting him do this. _

His glazed stare panned back to the figures congregating by the door. _I have no power to overcome them. This was such a bad idea. If only I had left at once..._

He took in their obvious street clothes, coupled with the unprofessional conversation and young age. _I think Michelangelo is right. These ones do not appear to belong here._

A small crash in the background made Splinter lurch, and a series of compounded collapses came in its wake.

"What the hell?" One of the young men ducked into the unit, and then hesitated to look over his shoulder. "They're not keeping anything live in here, right?"

"Idiot! It's only the recalled junk," the girl returned.

"Then what was that, Samantha? It sounded a lot bigger than the mice we've seen."

"Something fell, Gabe. It's called gravity," the other boy returned.

"I dunno, man..."

"Gabe" ventured toward the back, and Splinter hoped the others would follow him.

"Dude, it's a mess in here. You should see...Holy cow! I found the motherload of Oreo* Handisnacks! Sam, Keith, c'mere!"

Splinter held his breath while the others tracked down the middle of the container, then looked over his shoulder for Michelangelo's return.

"Nah, man. I ain't selling these. All those babies are coming home with me."

The rat began counting seconds to center his mind instead of giving in to anxiety, and almost missed the wind of his son's approach entirely. The turtle didn't say a word, simply scooped Splinter over his shoulder and kept going. They remained camouflaged behind crates until the last moment, when there was no other choice.

He gripped his son's arm for the needed boost of confidence to get out the door. Splinter's breath escaped in a shallow gasp after Michelangelo darted through it, but there wasn't time to relax.

"Keep going, move," he commanded fiercely under his breath.

The rapid motion of his son left the rat dizzier, as if _he _was running. Michelangelo scrambled for the closest existing shadows, silently skirting the wall in a maneuver which the rat approved of. He was still nowhere close to feeling safe, but his lightheadedness made it harder to keep a grip on reality.

It wasn't the time to slip away. Splinter wanted to fight the sensation with every fiber of his being, but the strength to resist didn't exist. He didn't notice his vision blurring again – not until fingers patted his face.

"Master Splinter, you gotta wake up. You have to!"

Whiskers twitched upon the turtle's contact, but he couldn't move anything else. "Too tired."

"Otosan, c'mon!" Michelangelo urged. "Open your eyes."

"It will be all right. Let me rest, and then we can go home. We are not trapped anymore."

"Master, we got another problem."

The intensity of his son's voice enabled Splinter to blink, and try to focus.

"What?" He attempted to lift his head, and made it about an inch before sinking back down. "What is wrong?"

"You gotta look around, Sensei. I could be remembering it wrong, but this feels way off."

"What is off?"

"The warehouse looks bigger, and the lights are different. Even the colors don't seem the same."

"My son, I do not know what you mean." Eyes closed of their own accord, and Splinter had no choice but to let them.

"Otosan, this...I don't think it's where we started out. Something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore."

* * *

***I do not own Oreoes. I would have a lot more money if I did.**


	7. Hiding

Michelangelo couldn't keep track of the passing minutes, but it _felt _like he'd been trying to rouse his Sensei forever. Splinter managed to carry on a dazed conversation for a little bit, but even then, the young turtle couldn't get him to confirm that they were currently in a different warehouse than the one in which they'd started.

Eventually the fear of being seen by someone, including the teenagers who were clearly trespassing, drove Mike to seek better refuge. His eyes roved constantly for cameras while sticking to the darkest areas in his path.

_ I don't know how to avoid 'em completely. Best thing is to probably stay in the shadows and wait for Master Splinter to wake up. This will be nothing for him. Sensei can get us out of this mess in no time. Worst part was being trapped in that container, but now we're free._

The turtle paused in his paranoid quest for cameras long enough to take in a better view of the vast warehouse. _It's not the same place as Reid's. It can't be. This is so much bigger. But Sensei and I weren't out _that_ long, were we? _

His inability to figure out how many hours they'd slept made him anxious again. _The guys are looking for us. They must be! But if we're not around to be found...Aw, this bites. Master Splinter's not okay. He needs help. He _needs_ Donny. I'd settle for any of my bros at this point, but I really wish he was here the most._

Mike lifted his gaze to stare overhead, fixing on the glass surface area of windows. _No. Reid's didn't have those either. _His eyes lingered on the second story, which held a strangely magnetic attraction. _Probably shouldn't get us trapped upstairs, but it would be nice to see outside. Maybe Sensei will be able to tell where we are if—_when _he wakes up._

With course suddenly decided, Mike scanned all directions before making a break out of the shadows. He couldn't see any stairs immediately, and dreaded being forced to attempt some acrobatics with his father in tow.

Despite not finding what he needed, the youth didn't want to slow down. He continued his circuit around the perimeter of the open area, until he had to hesitate because of intruders approaching. Mike dropped into a crouch closer to the floor, hugging his Sensei near his frame while he tried to make _both_ of them disappear.

"You sure he can get us in again?"

"Why are you acting so spooked, Gabe?" The girl's voice was taunting. "Only because a few things fell over back there?"

"Sam, all it takes is the wrong person – just one guy to see us, and it's over. This place is freaky as I'll get out. I don't think I _wanna_ come back."

"There is no wrong person here right now," the other boy insisted. "My cousin's guy is the only one on detail inside, until the other two come back from break. Management is so lax, the Crypts have been quietly moving in their drugs and weapons for months. You have any idea the stuff we can get access to? I'm talking serious merchandise. The kind that will change our lives."

"You're outta your mind! I ain't stealing from no freaking gang, Keith! That's how suckers like us end up dead."

"Yeah, if you took them head on," the female answered. "But it's the same idea as the food recall, Gabe. Only take a little at a time, not enough to be noticed. Keith's cousin has a good handle on observation. That means he knows everything, and controls what other people see too. He has the cameras off for us, and Ethan's got an understanding with those Crypts too. They trust him, and he's not gonna turn us on to their stuff until we prove we can keep our own mouths shut..."

Mike let out the breath he'd been holding after they meandered past him. _Walking around like they own the place, but I doubt they're the biggest threat around here. I still wish they'd just disappear._

A soft grunt had Michelangelo glancing down at his Master. The manner in which the rat flinched gave him a hint of hope, but lightly shaking his father didn't produce any more results. _I have to do something for him, but what? I don't even know where we are, or what to do next! Shell, if I hadn't come with Sensei, none of this woulda happened._

The turtle bowed his head with the temptation for despair. _That's not gonna help me or Master Splinter. Anything else would be better. So the next goal is to keep looking for stairs. After that? Sensei is gonna have to wake up, because I've got nothing._

* * *

The first glimpse Michelangelo had out a window on the second floor confirmed his fear. The large body of water nearby was a dead giveaway to their new location. The turtle fixed on the surrounding grounds for a couple of silent minutes, and studied the roof-line on the other side of windows.

Escape existed before him, but the opportunity was hard to jump on when he felt so clueless. _What do I do? What would the guys do? They sure wouldn't stay here, so I shouldn't either, right?_

He sent a glance over his shoulder to Splinter. _I ought to get us both out, but not knowing where we are makes that harder. I'd give anything for my bros to be here..._

The useless thought faded as Michelangelo released a sharp breath. _But they're not, and I don't see how they could find us either. Whether we're an hour away or ten, it feels like we're pretty stuck._

The discouragement which had nearly taken over him earlier in the day was beginning to win out again. In spite of the temptation to give in to it, Mike's eyes focused on the moonlight playing off the water, and the freedom waiting to be taken.

_We're not trapped anymore. I got better, and Sensei will too. If I poke around a little further, maybe I'll learn where we are._

Mike stole around the small corridor with his Master still over his shoulder, feeling somewhat successful for managing to make it a small way on his own. _Those guys never saw us either. We were right there, I coulda reached out and touched them...but they totally missed everything._

The triumph over escaping was short-lived, lasting seconds before reality crashed back down. _We wouldn't be here if I hadn't taken the guy's stuff. Knew I shouldn't have done it. Master Splinter would have been better off if one of my bros had come, especially the way that guy talked about Crypts..._

A sudden revelation brought the nine-year-old up short. _Wait, Crypts. They're a gang, which means we're probably still around New York. Other cities gotta have their own cliques, but they're not all the same._

Newfound hope made him eager for answers. Mike instantly picked up his pace to get to a door at the end of the hall. He eagerly tried the handle of what he assumed to be an office, judging by someone's name on the door. The turtle found the knob locked, and fleetingly wished for Donatello again.

He'd _know a way in. Raph could probably bust down a door with one punch, and Leo..._

Mike forgot where the rant was going when he noticed a small crack in the window adjacent to the door, looking directly into the room. He peered down the hall like someone was watching, and then carefully pushed against the glass to find out if it would budge.

A little jiggling opened the window further, and he stuck his head inside to find a small office set up with desk, computer and telephone. Mike pushed against the glass again to make the opening wider, and then hoisted himself partially up over the ledge. The simple action of finding a way into the room brought back the elation of success. His chuckle died upon sliding too far across the window track and losing his balance.

The nine-year-old ended in a heap on the other side. Then he scrambled upright with burning cheeks and ran to unlock the door. Gathering his Master, he brought the rat into the office with him, and set out to investigate the contents of the desk.

_Can't do nothing with the computer, and I haven't got numbers to call. But there has to be some mail around here somewhere, right?_

He sifted carefully through papers on a desk top tray, trying not to disturb much in the process. _Sensei would say not to leave a trace. If he was awake, he'd tell me not to touch anything period. After the way I already screwed up, I probably shouldn't._

Nevertheless, he kept searching until laying hold of a basket on the corner of the desk, which appeared half full of envelopes. Mike pulled one off the top and carried it over to the outside window, for the light the moon provided.

He squinted at the addressee for a couple seconds. _New York Freight Forwarding...Staten Island? Oh, it ain't _that _bad._ Michelangelo looked at the ocean on the other side of glass, and nerves spiked once more. _It's bad enough. How are we supposed to get back? There gotta be other boats, but we don't know where any of them are going. We could end up someplace even further away._

Mike rubbed his temples anxiously. _Can't go somewhere with Splinter like this anyhow. What if he doesn't get any better? We need help, and the guys have to be going crazy. They must be. Wish I could tell 'em we're alive and not to panic, but I've got nothing._

It was an utterly frustrating experience to have a phone at his fingertips, but no way to contact his family. He stared at the handset for a good minute, waiting for an idea to occur to him. _Nothing's gonna change just because I'm standing here. My bros don't have a phone, so I can't call them. _

_ Only thing we have is the old TV, and how does that help anybody? I'd need someone to catch me on camera for it do any good. And then we'd still be screwed, _he ended grumpily. _Sensei would really have to kick my shell for letting some human see me. But if...no one actually did..._

Michelangelo fixed on the phone again while an absurd idea churned through his mind. _I need to get the right kind of attention. Problem is, I don't know that number either. But Donny says the lady at Information knows everybody. Sure hope he was right._

* * *

Leonardo was more exhausted than he remembered being before, but he couldn't sleep. The amount of time they'd spent searching the warehouse left the turtles not emerging until the sun was starting to come up. Daybreak made it impossible to take the easy route over the rooftops, and forced them into the longer underground trek.

The nearly hour-long trip was spent in a silence that weighed on the teen heavier with every passing mile. Neither of his brothers had spoken upon arriving at the den either; they'd simply gone their separate directions.

The blue-masked turtle was secretly glad Raphael avoided their bedroom, as he had no desire to fight with his brother or defend any of his decisions from that night. _I'm not actually escaping it though, only putting things off. It's only a matter of time before he comes down on me again. That's why it makes sense to get some sleep while I can._

_ I _have_ to rest, because we're going back to the surface tonight._

Leo willfully shut his eyes and shifted to find a better position on their trash-picked mattress. Rolling over to face the wall brought a flash of silver into view, and he stretched fingers to grasp what turned out to be the spiral-bound rings of an extremely beat-up notebook. The teen sighed while he pulled the book out of the crevice beside the wall, recognizing it immediately.

_Mike threw it there Thursday, because his last pen stopped working. Raph and I were supposed to track down a couple more on the surface, I promised him. _He unconsciously clutched his brother's notebook to his plastron with the deepest wave of regret yet. _Mikey doesn't ask for much, but we couldn't even do the smallest thing..._

_ "_Leo?"

The thirteen-year-old's head jolted upon hearing his purple-masked brother's voice.

"Where'd you get that?"

Leonardo swallowed hard and extended the book toward him. "I just found it. Saw Mike throw it the other day, but I kind of...forgot."

Donatello came to kneel on the end of the old mattress and took the notebook from him. "Mikey was on to something. Got an idea for some scene...He flipped when I told him I didn't have any more pens. Been using this little nub of a pencil for the last week myself. I told him I would swipe another one from the library, but the cleaning crew was there the other night, so..."

"It's not your fault, Donny. I told him Raph and I would find a couple more too, but we never got that far either. Had an argument after our only takedown of the night, and I just let it go. I didn't forget about the pen – simply didn't care. Figured he didn't need to write that bad, and could wait another day."

Don didn't say anything for a very long moment, and then collapsed on his side. "Do you think they're alive?"

The question made Leonardo instantly sit up. "Yeah, bro, of course they are. This is Sensei and Mikey we're talking about. Master Splinter wouldn't go down easy, and Mike's quick. When you combine both of them, it's even less likely."

"Then why haven't they come back, Leo?"

The teen knew his brother didn't expect a literal answer, but he felt obligated to provide one. "I can't tell you, but I know that whatever's happened...they'll make it out. C'mon, Donny. Have you ever seen Sensei let something stop him? No matter how big the problem or great the obstacle, he's never quit once."

He reached for his brother's shoulder, but Donatello didn't look at him.

"They should have been home," the ten-year-old mumbled. "If they were okay, they would be."

"Don, we've only started looking around. Just because the warehouse didn't pan out, it doesn't mean we won't find them."

"I was so sure, Leo. I was positive we'd find them last night. But it was all a waste, and they could be...anywhere. Literally anywhere. And here we are."

The younger turtle turned away, burying his face in the thin blanket. Leonardo didn't miss the tremor in his shoulders, and continued to pursue him.

"It's not over, bro. We'll get back out there."

"And if it's too late? What then?"

Leo took a deep breath before answering. "It's not too late."

"How do you know?" he demanded.

"I don't," he acknowledged. "But I feel like it's not. Don't you?"

Donatello scooted a little further away. "I don't know what I feel. If Mike was here, if he could..."

"What, Donny?"

"It wouldn't be this hard," he spat. "I can't pull myself out of it – that's what _he_ does. With Mikey gone, I can't." Donny rose suddenly, tucking the notebook under his arm tightly.

"Don-"

"Forget it, okay?" The younger turtle swept out of the room without warning, leaving the teen with a bigger pit in his stomach.

Leo quietly followed when his brother pounded back down the stairs, but the moment Donny fled into the small space he'd adopted as a workshop off the living area, the blue-masked turtle let him go.

He stared at the closed door contemplating what to do, long enough to hear a bellow come from down the hall. His red-masked brother's cry of rage only made Leo want to retreat upstairs faster. _I don't want to deal with this. I _can't. _Raph and I don't get along in the best of times, let alone when he's angry. I'm not touching him in this condition._

Leonardo spun on heel to run up the steps, but a twinge of his spirit locked up his legs. _Raph doesn't need anything from me. He never has. I've got to leave him alone, and work on getting sleep of my own._

He meant to go upstairs, but legs still weren't cooperating. Why _is this happening?_

A muffled thud made the teen blink rapidly, and swivel toward the hallway. That was when muscles coordinated with his body again, propelling him in the direction of their dojo.

The door wasn't closed all the way, ajar so that he easily made out his larger brother heaving rapidly the floor. Alarm lent extra energy to his weary frame while instantly going to join him.

"Raph, are you okay? Can you slow down at all?"

The red-masked turtle scrambled up on his knees with a growl. "Back off of me, Leo! Go get your stupid beauty sleep, since that's all that matters."

"All that matters?" Leonardo tried hard to control his volume. "What else do you want me to do in the daytime, Raph? We couldn't keep searching for them!"

"And you couldn't wait to freaking get upstairs."

"Yeah, Raph, I _want_ to rest. We all need to if we're gonna spend another night tracking them down."

"We shouldn't have to!" his brother cried. "No one should."

"What are you saying, bro? You don't want to look for Sensei and Mike?"

"I'm saying they shouldn't be missing in the first place. _We_ did this, Leo. You and me with our fighting. We were gonna go together. We all woulda been there, if I hadn't thrown that punch after the spar was over."

Raphael's next frustrated shout was partially muffled by his hands. "I can't get out from under this, Leo. It's our fault. Tell me ya don't feel it too."

The accusation dared him to disagree, but Leonardo wasn't about to. Instead, he simply attempted to keep his voice from shaking with the reply.

"I blame myself, yes. But doing that isn't going to bring them back." Hesitantly, he pulled his brother's arm to get him to look up. "We'll have a lot of time for guilt later. Right now we need sleep, so we can return to the hunt."


	8. Stuck

The sensation of warm water saturating his fur welcomed Splinter back. He opened bleary onyx eyes to find himself thoroughly soaked, though thankfully not cold. The rat lifted his head slowly, searching for the source of water drenching his robe.

Upon sensing movement to his right, Splinter snapped out a clawed hand on instinct, capturing a shadowed arm and twisting it hard. In his disoriented state, it took a couple of seconds for Michelangelo's gasp to register, along with the clatter of a bucket he'd been clutching.

"My son," he proclaimed shakily, instantly letting go of the nine-year-old. "Forgive me."

"Are you okay, Otosan?"

Splinter sat up with a wince. "I believe I am, Michelangelo; at least...it seems like it. But what have you been doing here?" His entire form felt waterlogged, and there was no obvious explanation.

"Yeah, sorry for that, Sensei. I thought it might help."

Still bewildered, the rat glanced around the small space in which they resided, taking in the details of what appeared to be a utility room. Despite having identified the nature of the place, it didn't make any sense.

"Michelangelo, what happened?"

"Well, these teenagers let us out of the shipping container last night. Do you remember any of it?"

"I..." Hesitating had the effect of bringing back a portion of the previous evening. "Yes, musuko, I remember _you_ getting us out. But what occurred after-"

"Master Splinter, how do you feel?" the turtle interrupted, much to his annoyance.

Splinter wanted to find out what he could remember on his own, but the pleading quality of his son's eyes made irritation dissipate. "I feel confused."

"You also look more awake," the youth offered, and motioned to the sink. "You said that powder mighta built up on your fur. I hoped a bath would help."

The rat was without words for a few moments while considering what the young one had accomplished by himself. "I believe it _has_ helped, Michelangelo. My mind feels more clear. You saved us."

Michelangelo shook his head at once. "Nah. I got us into this mess. It's my fault we're stuck here."

Splinter crossed both arms with what felt like his first smile in forever. "We are not stuck now, are we?"

"Uh, Master? There's something ya need to see. C'mere."

The turtle rose from his crouch and pointed to the window through which sunlight streamed. The very sight made apprehension rise within Splinter, but he forced himself to look anyway.

The rat was startled by the nearness of the ocean, along with a vast docking station complete with giant boats. He sank back toward the floor with the sensation he was yet dreaming.

"We're on Staten Island," Michelangelo volunteered weakly. "I found some mail last night."

"I don't remember any of this," he returned faintly.

"Yeah, me neither, Otosan. This must have happened when we were out of it. I'm really sorry. I know it's all my fault."

"No, it is not, Michelangelo. But you are the reason we made it this far."

"No, Sensei. I didn't do anything except run."

"You have done far more than I was able to."

"But that's not your fault-"

"My son, listen to me," he inserted sternly.

The turtle instantly shut his mouth, knowing better than to continue.

"You protected me, and got us to the safest place you could find. You did well, Michelangelo."

"I don't know, Sensei. We sure can't stay here."

"Tonight, we will take a look around outside. Be encouraged, Michelangelo. We are in a better place than we were before. There may be miles to travel, but we will find a way."

"I still feel...trapped."

Splinter peered at the young turtle closer, puzzled by the despondency in his tone. _Michelangelo has done too much on his own. He has always had his brothers and myself to depend on, and as of late, he had nothing._

The rat backed against a wall for the support it offered, and held out a hand toward his son. "Come here, musuko."

There was a strange hesitance in the youth when he approached, and it left Splinter concerned. "This is not the time to lose hope, Michelangelo. I know that things have gone badly over these last days, but they appear to be getting better."

The turtle opened his mouth to speak, but then unexpectedly clammed up.

"What is it, Michelangelo? Why do you struggle to believe we can escape this place? In my opinion, one of the hardest parts is done. We are free from that container, and with your help, I am finally awake."

"I dunno," he murmured. At Splinter's reproving look, he continued. "We're on another island, Otosan."

"And I saw many ships, some of which will no doubt return closer to our home. We have only to find the right one, Michelangelo."

"How will we know the right one?"

"By searching for it," Splinter answered obviously. "There is no reason to be this discouraged."

"Master...you were out of it, and I didn't know what to do."

"You performed well, my son."

The turtle shook his head. "The guys woulda done better. If Donny was here, he'd already know how to get home."

"Your brother does not know everything," the rat reminded him, but his mind turned to his other young sons as well. _I do not want to picture them on their own either. But this will not last very much longer. We will find some way to return, despite the risk of being discovered by a crew._

Worry twinged deeper for the sons who'd been left behind than the danger they would face in traveling. _I wonder what they have done already. It is hard to imagine them staying underground when we didn't come back, but where would they begin to search for us? I am not sure what I would have done, had any of them disappeared._

_ We must begin looking for a suitable boat tonight, at whatever cost. I cannot leave them to a couple more days of confusion and fear. Michelangelo and I must get back before my boys are driven to something hasty out of desperation._

_ "_Sensei, I have more for you to drink," the youth spoke up. "I can get you some paper towels too, even if they don't do much."

Since the initial warmth of the water had faded Splinter _was_ getting cold, but he wasn't inclined to complain. "I am all right, Michelangelo. I think we should move away from here, to somewhere more private."

Michelangelo's return grimace struck him as peculiar. "We'll have to watch out for people. There's a good chance more of them will show up."

The rat cocked his head. "Michelangelo, you seem quite nervous. Would you like to tell me why?"

"I...uh... might have done something stupid last night, Sensei."

"I know what you did, my son. You supported me at my weakest."

"There was another thing. I got this idea, and sort of went with it. I thought it was pretty good at the time, but...that could land us in trouble too."

"I do not understand, Michelangelo."

"I'll tell you, but you can't kill me."

His son's statement left him colder yet. "You must share exactly what happened."

The youth's eyes shifted to the window. "I...I made a phone call."

Splinter's brow furrowed. "Who could you possibly call?"

"Well, I was thinking, okay? And I probably didn't spend enough time doing it, but things seemed so bad..."

The rat was losing patience with his son to tell him the whole truth. His demand for complete honesty was redirected by the short blast of a siren, which made him instantly stiffen.

"It could have been a huge mistake, but-"

"Hush, musuko," Splinter ordered, sitting up straighter.

"Sensei-"

The rat waved at him desperately for silence and climbed to his feet. Limbs felt heavier than normal as he staggered toward the window. He was grateful to be able to bear any weight, but there was no time for relief as the sound of one siren multiplied into several. Splinter stared out the window transfixed, while trying to determine the direction the cars were traveling.

"Otosan, what is it? What are you doing?" Michelangelo's voice snapped him back to the room.

"What kind of company are you expecting? Who did you call, Michelangelo?"

"Sensei, what's happening out there?" The youth infuriatingly refused to answer _his_ question.

"I want the truth from you this instant," Splinter ordered. "Did you contact the authorities? Have you called 911?"

His son shook his head in horror. "No, Master! I didn't call any cops."

"Well, it sounds as if several are coming this direction." The rat tore away from the window. "We cannot take our chances here. We need a better hiding place _immediately_."

The way the young turtle froze up gave Splinter the urge to shake him. His sensitive hearing portended something which was still impossible to accurately predict, because the vehicles weren't close enough to be certain.

"Did you see anywhere else to hide last night, Michelangelo?" He urgently tried to engage the nine-year-old again.

"Uh...I saw something, but I don't know if-"

He darted toward him, catching his son by the arm. "Show me, now."

Michelangelo reached down to retrieve the pitiful "luggage", hefting his bag before cautiously guiding the rat out of the utility room.

Splinter took in their surroundings warily, hating the sight of a completely exposed metal walkway. A sound from the ground floor beneath their platform made him pull the youth toward him. He had no desire to remain in the open _or_ on the second floor, but after a silent beat, Michelangelo was tugging him another direction.

The rat was dying for answers from the young one, but escaping out of their current vulnerability was far more important. The turtle led him directly to a door marked with a man's name, but then ignored the handle. Instead, Michelangelo approached a window inset beside it.

"The lock's busted," his son filled in. "I came in this way last night."

Splinter wordlessly allowed him to climb in first, and then scrambled up over the window pane himself.

"It's here, Sensei. When I saw it, I thought about hiding there. But when you weren't waking up, I had to try something different." Michelangelo motioned to a medium sized grating in the wall opposite the desk, and pulled out a small swiss army knife Donatello had fixed up for the nine-year-old's last birthday.

Splinter almost confiscated the trash-picked knife after the orange-masked turtle spent the following week removing screws from wherever they could be found, but was now begrudgingly grateful for the tool.

While the youth was occupied with unscrewing the four corners, the rat took a deep breath of the air coming from within, trying to determine the possible risks of using the space. He couldn't identify the nature of the duct exactly, but it only took seconds to detect the cooler temperature.

Splinter had a feeling it wouldn't be a comfortable option, but it was one he was willing to explore. _Leaving by the quickest way possible would be better, but the danger posed by daylight takes away that choice. For the moment. If we had time to access the roof, it might not be as bad, but we would still have to come down..._

The distinct sound of feet pounding on metal ripped Splinter out of thought, and he whipped toward the office window they'd both come through.

"Shut that, Michelangelo, and come back quickly!"

The rat exhaled sharply and ducked into the new passage his son had cleared, painfully aware of the noise they would easily create in the sensitive space. He only shifted far enough inside for his son to fit in as well.

"Grab the cover, and pull it in behind you, musuko!"

"Sensei-"

"_Now_, Michelangelo!"

The turtle obeyed, but was breathing too loudly for Splinter's peace of mind.

"Control, my son," he instructed. "Slow down at once, and concentrate. We must go in a little deeper, but we cannot cause a disturbance in the process."

Crawling across decidedly _sharp _corners proved dangerous not only for giving away their position, but accidentally hurting themselves along the way. Splinter winced at the slightest of creaks from behind him, but was pleased by the manner his son's breathing evened out.

He was less elated to run into a fine-mesh filter blocking the length of the ductwork, less than three more feet in front of him. The rat settled down carefully to examine the obstacle, but was then distracted by the slam of a nearby door.

A hand grasped the back of his robe in tight fist at once. "Master, someone's there." Michelangelo's whisper _still_ felt too loud.

Splinter stretched out a paw to silence him. In slow motion he backtracked a foot and gathered the quaking nine-year-old to his chest. "Be still, my son. Be very still."

When Michelangelo's tremor didn't cease, the rat gripped him tighter and rested a hand on the back of his head. "I have you. Do not give us away. Breathe, musuko, carefully."

The youth's frame went slack as he buried his forehead against Splinter's shoulder, at the same moment as an angry voice picked up on the other side.

"I don't _know_ what's happening! You think I called them?...What do you want from me? I told you the crap needed to be moved sooner! But no, you let it sit for days, because...I said I couldn't control _everything! _You should have been here already. That money means nothing now – I can't keep the cops out! My father already gave them a green light to come in. They don't even need a warrant!...Again, what do you expect me to do?...But..." The speaker cut off with a sudden curse.

Splinter didn't dare try to see who was on the other side of the grate, but he could hear the man pacing. Since he was now quiet, it seemed whoever he'd spoken to was gone. The stranger's nervous silence only lasted a few moments before he began again.

"Keith! Who did you tell? You're the only one who...Well, you screwed up somehow, because the cops are on their way! My dad said they could search for anything they want!...

"You can't see the issue? There're enough weapons in here to fill a small armory! There's no guarantee they won't find the cache. The Crypts were pulling them out in a couple _days, _and now the police might uncover everything, you idiot! Do you have any idea what these guys might DO?...Really? That's all you've got to say, you little-"

The man stopped abruptly with another curse, swearing even louder than before. He slammed into something so hard that an unidentified object crashed into the grating, and the faintest of whimpers escaped Michelangelo.

Splinter leaned over his head, trying to dispense comfort without words. He held his own silence until another resounding bang signaled the stranger had left the office behind. Only then did the turtle open his eyes to look up at him.

"The guys last night were talking about Crypts too, Otosan. It sounded like bad stuff. D'you think they're coming here?"

"It sounds more like the police are going to investigate the property, Michelangelo. I have a small hindrance to deal with on my other side, but we may be able to go a bit deeper afterward."

"I shoulda known they'd call the police," the young one mumbled, making the rat hesitate.

"Who called the police, Michelangelo? Who did you call last night, and why?"

"Sensei, we need help. I didn't feel like I could do anything useful, and you weren't looking good either. I wasn't sure if you'd ever wake up."

"But how would calling someone else aid us? Who did you attempt to reach? I want to understand your reasoning, my son, but you are telling me so little. I need you to be honest with me. I promise not to get angry with you, if you simply tell me what happened."

"I didn't call the police," he repeated. "Probably should have, the way those kids were bragging about guns and drugs. I was only trying to get attention the right way."

"From who, musuko? Your brothers are out of reach. And even if they weren't, this is the last place they should be."

Michelangelo gave him a funny look. "You don't want them to find us?"

"I don't want them _here_, my son. We are now at risk from both the workers within this place, and the police who may arrive any moment. I want your brothers to have no part of it."

"Master, we need them. Maybe we would get out of here on our own, but it'd be easier with their help, wouldn't it?"

The rat massaged his temples. He didn't want to admit to Michelangelo that it might not be possible to escape without discovery any time soon. "It would be difficult for them to get here, Michelangelo. It is better for you and I to figure this out on our own."

"That isn't what you always say though," the turtle protested. "The team is better together. You tell us that, almost every day. We _need_ them, Sensei."

"This is not a simple field trip in our neighborhood, my son. Coming here would be a terrible risk, that I would rather not have any of them take, regardless of the danger we are in. How did you expect to communicate with them through the phone, when they do not have one?"

The young one grinned suddenly. "I had to send a message. I called Information, and the nice lady got me the number I needed."

"How would you send a message to them?"

"I'll tell ya, Master, but you have to promise not to kill me one more time first."


	9. First

Donatello felt like screaming. The impossibility of the task set before them had never seemed more obvious. _We have no idea where they could be, which direction Sensei and Mikey could have gone...We didn't even have time to search the entire warehouse last night. They might still be back at Reid's, but it's Leo's turn to choose our path._

Worry had set in stronger through the course of the day. The question of whether his father and little brother were dead or alive continually plagued him, but Donny couldn't mention the words out loud again. His older brothers seemed nothing but determined, and he was doing his best to keep up with them.

Bringing up the rear wasn't the purple-masked turtle's desired position. He preferred the middle of the pack, and being tailed by Michelangelo. A vision of his younger brother's persistent grin entered his mind, and the ten-year-old almost lost it entirely.

_I haven't paid enough attention to Mike lately. Been so wrapped up in getting the dumb computer working and other projects, but he hasn't complained once. Just sits in the background like I'm not completely ignoring him._

Truthfully, the close relationship he normally enjoyed with his orange-masked brother wasn't the result of Don's effort, but that of Michelangelo constantly seeking him out. _It's not fair to make Mike do most of the work._

Upon landing on his next roof-line, anger hit Donatello hard. _I should have been with them. We all should have. If Leo and Raph weren't at each other's throats half the time, this wouldn't have happened._

Raphael chose that moment to look back for him, probably catching Donny's scowl before he had a chance to get rid of it.

"You're gonna have to speed up, Don," the red-masked turtle insisted, "I know ya can do better than this. All the time you been spending on your gizmos could be coming back to bite you."

The younger turtle ground his teeth instead of answering, and allowed rage to stew. Arguing with his brother would probably only result in Leo agreeing with Raph. _At least in this case. He and Raph don't see eye to eye on many things, but they tend to share the same opinion when it comes to _me_._

Donatello had a strong feeling that no one besides Splinter recognized the underlying implications of his projects and the end goal. _Even when Mike doesn't get them, he tries to encourage me. The other guys see my work as just a...time filler. An unnecessary distraction. I don't feel like defending myself tonight, so it's easier to keep my stupid mouth shut._

Without warning, his blue-masked brother suddenly changed direction, descending so fast that Don almost lost his balance in the effort of following him. He careened over the edge of the building Leo had just lunged from, found a brief foothold on a window ledge, and bounced off the railing of a balcony.

Donatello came in for a landing on top of a closed dumpster, to find his older brothers huddled around an indistinct bundle on the ground. Hope and fear surged simultaneously, in less time than it took Raphael to straighten up with a growl.

"Way to go, Fearless. Thanks for getting me excited for nothin'."

Don jumped down from the dumpster for a closer look, shoulders slumping at the sight of a murmuring man wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and clutching a paper-wrapped bottle. He saw his oldest brother shake his head and heard Leo mumble a curse of his own.

"Shut up, Raph," Leonardo continued. "Let's go."

"Be sure and tell us if y' see any more hobos you mistake for our dad, Leo," Raphael retorted.

"I said, _shut up!_" the teen answered much louder than necessary.

"Don't get our freakin' hopes up other nothing then!" the twelve-year-old snapped, before boosting on top of the dumpster, and grabbing a window ledge to aid his ascent.

Leonardo made mute eye contact with Don before clamoring on top of the dumpster, and then hesitated another moment. "Sorry," he said half-heartedly.

"It's not your fault," Donny told him, though a small part of him felt like it was.

The blue-masked turtle set to scaling the building, and Donatello followed in his wake.

Up to that point, the younger turtle had been caught up inside his thoughts and not actively searching for missing family members. _That's what I'm supposed to be doing. I have to get out of my own head._

His brothers were slightly ahead of him again already, but Don focused on scanning streets and alleys, instead of tracking Leo's and Raph's every move. He was tempted more than once to berate himself for being distracted and a sub-par brother to Michelangelo. _It'd be so different if he was here. It would be easier to- _

Donny cut out mid-thought. _Nope. I'm not doing this – not right now. _He doggedly shook his head to break the stubborn mindset, but it was only seconds before another distraction served itself up.

The screeching of car tires jerked his head toward a surface street. The sight of a yellow taxi colliding with a garbage can in the middle of the road for no apparent reason was consistent with the stereotypical bad driving of New York cabbies. Don almost laughed over it, right before the sound of shattering glass changed the picture entirely.

He halted at once, crouching lower to the ledge to see the vehicle surrounded by shadowed figures. Donny waited there until the breaking of glass resumed, and the left passenger side door was ripped open. _That can't be right._

Suspicion was proved correct a beat later, when a small figure was forcibly removed from the cab.

_ "Guys!" _Don called at once, noting his brothers at least three rooftops ahead of him. "You guys! Come back!"

Common sense told him to wait on Leo and Raph before making a rash move of his own, but the development of two individuals being dragged into an adjacent alley was too distressing to sit still.

He sent one more glance his brothers' direction to confirm that they'd heard him, and then dove over the side of the roof to the first balcony beneath him. While careening toward the ground, the purple-masked turtle tried to calculate the most immediate threat.

Don fixed on a man waving what looked like a tire iron, who appeared to be egging on the others. With a deep breath he leaped off a second-story landing, and came down right on the stranger's back. After that, there was no time to think – only to act. His fist plowed into the temple of the man he'd tackled, without an opportunity to plan it out.

The blow felt different leaving his hand than it ever had in training; but then, he'd never truly connected with that amount of force. His momentary pause at the sensation was all it took for someone else to nearly get hands on him.

Donny had to rapidly roll to the right to evade a flailing fist, which was trailed by a baseball bat. Another of them scooped up the tire iron, only to swing it wildly and wack the side the brick building when the turtle easily ducked the clumsy attack.

The sudden arrival of his older brothers' shadows on the scene bolstered the ten-year-old to chase down another man, who was trying to herd victims out the other end of the alley.

Righteous indignation struck Donatello with a fury he didn't realize he possessed, enabling him to land a jump kick to the back of the kidnapper's legs which sent him sprawling. The would-be villain reached for his belt, and Don sent a second kick to his jaw that slammed him against the building. The purple-masked turtle tensed, prepared to deliver another strike, when he realized the man wasn't getting back up.

It took a couple seconds to register how quiet the alley had become. The two figures who'd been threatened were standing stock-still, mere feet away from him. Despite now recognizing them as children, Donatello instantly backpedaled into better shadows.

"Hey, you guys should get out of here," he encouraged them awkwardly. The turtle's retreat hastened when they both came toward him.

"Our dad's hurt! Can you help him?"

"Uh..." Donatello didn't have a chance to answer, when his blue-masked brother pulled him backwards faster.

"We have to go," Leo told the kids apologetically. "No one's supposed to see us."

"Then why did you help at all?" The hint of an Indian accent in the voice struck Don that time.

Raphael's rough hand yanked Donny further from the pair, not allowing an opportunity for a reply.

"Call 911," Leonardo commanded them, looking over his shoulder at the sound of another car approaching. "Someone's coming. They'll help you. Tell the police what those men did, but you don't need to say anything about us."

"But who are you?" the girl cried after them, even as Raphael jerked Donny far too hard toward the ladder of a fire escape.

None of them took the time to reply. The younger turtle yanked his arm back from Raph, and climbed the ladder on his own. Don rapidly ascended levels until he was close to the top, where he could access the side of the roof.

Leo's hand propelled his shell to keep going with remaining urgency, and all three sprang back into flight across the buildings. Donatello found his heart was still racing from the encounter in the alley, and dashing across the rooftops was doing nothing to help it settle.

Don's heartbeat felt so out on control that he finally paused about half a mile later, dropping like a rock on the flat surface upon which he'd been running. His brothers were practically on top of his shell in a flash, having not separated more than a couple feet since the fight.

"Donny, are ya all right?" The anxiety in his red-masked brother's voice was confusing.

Donatello sat up from the heap in which he'd fallen, drawing knees against his plastron. "Yeah. I'm fine. I need to calm down for a minute."

Leonardo knelt in front of him and silently surveyed Donny with a look the younger turtle couldn't interpret, then finally spoke. "They didn't hurt you?"

"No one got a hand on me, Leo. They didn't hear me coming."

"You shoulda waited for us, Genius." Somehow, the nickname didn't sound as derogatory coming from Raphael as usual. "There were too many guys to handle."

"I knew you were coming," he defended. "I didn't want them to hurt those kids, or get away with them."

Leo was still keenly surveying him. "How do you feel?"

Donny self-consciously rubbed his eyes. "I don't...I'm not sure. I didn't plan any of that, you guys. I know I probably should have waited, but when I realized what was happening, I had to try and stop it."

Raph chuckled darkly. "Poor baddies didn't see another kid jumping in on 'em. You probably gave them the shock of their lives."

"They deserved it," the younger turtle stated vehemently, startling himself.

His older brothers had only recently started watching over their own small corner of the neighborhood, and Donatello had never experienced a desire to join them. The surprising fire stirred up by the encounter left him feeling a bit shaken.

"But it's not about what they deserve, remember?" Leo asked carefully.

"I...yeah," the purple-masked turtle admitted, shame-faced. "We act in defense. I don't know what just happened. Was I...am I wrong?"

The teen shook his head. "No. Raph and I both wanted you to wait, but I think we would have had a hard time watching it take place too."

Don sent another glance over the edge of the building with renewed goosebumps. "It's like...I woke up. What does it mean?"

"Means you're a ninja," Raphael offered. "It's okay to act like one."

"Master Splinter never said I could-"

"We didn't ask permission a couple months ago either," Leo reminded him.

"I think I understand why now." The ten-year-old rose from his crouch slowly. "Is it always like that?"

The older turtles exchanged a glance.

"I don't think any two fights are the same," Leonardo allowed. "But the great feeling that comes from helping someone or stopping creeps like those? It hasn't quit, and I doubt it will."

"You _could_ come with us sometime," Raph mentioned. "Wouldn't hurt ya to get out somewhere besides the library or the garbage, Donny."

The suggestion made Donatello give him a double-take. "Do you mean that?"

"Yeah, long as ya don't keep jumping ahead of us," the twelve-year-old answered meaningfully.

Don still had to turn to the oldest turtle for his assessment.

"We could do more with three," Leo acknowledged. "Eventually, it'd probably be good for Mikey too."

The uttering of their missing brother's name had the effect of bringing Donny back down to Earth in a flash. "We have to find them," he declared, voice breaking despite his intensity. "We _have_ to!"

"We will," Leonardo returned. "We won't stop, okay? You need to remember how strong Sensei and Mike are in the meantime. They're not just gonna give up either."

Don expected his other brother to chime in too, but instead caught Raphael staring off into the distance at something.

"Raph? What is it?"

"That's Saint Andrews over there," he muttered.

The church was a familiar sight to the turtles. Before an upgrade in the security system, its food pantry was one of the places they would hit on a rotating six week basis. It was a balancing act in never taking too many things from a single charity.

Despite not visiting often, Saint Andrews had once been among their favorites, based on vast stores alone. That was until a string of flagrant break-ins of the criminal variety caused the staff to beef up cameras and motion sensors on the property.

"Wish we could restock a little," Raph said wistfully. "That Chinese is only gonna hold up a couple of days. Master Splinter and Mike might not be eating much. They're probably going to need to reload."

The purple-masked turtle sent his counterparts a pensive look. "Well, maybe we still can."

Leo took a sharp breath. "I wish. Saint Andrews always seemed to have plenty to spare in their pantry, but the security makes it pretty impossible."

"It's not impossible," Donny wheedled. "There's a good chance I could turn that stuff off."

"How?"

The uncertainty in Leonardo's voice stung him a little, but Don threw back his shoulders to assert some confidence.

"What do you think I do at the library? I take out a few of their motion sensors every time I go in."

"What's the point, Don?" Raphael asked seriously. "Aren't you just...playing? I get bored as much as everyone else, but I don't see the appeal of hanging out there."

"You might call this 'playing', but it's a lot more than that." Don worked hard to control the offense building in his spirit. "There's a vast world of knowledge and opportunities at my fingertips, and this is the only way I can access it right now. I can't get the internet underground. Yet."

"What does any of it have to do with Saint Andrews?" Leo went on.

"Breaking into the library was a little of trial and error in the beginning, but I understand a lot more now than when I started. I'm still learning all the time, but...Guys, I can get us in there. Will you at least let me try?"

Leo hesitated a long moment from replying. "I guess...trying won't necessarily get anyone killed."

Donatello gave his red-masked brother a side-eye, expecting him to argue. The bigger turtle was strangely silent. "What do you say, Raph? You still wondering if I can do it?"

"Shell no, Donny." He scoffed. "I learned better when you got the piece of crap computer working. Shutting off an alarm can't be any harder than that."

Don felt a smug smile coming on, and didn't fight it. "I'm so ready for this."

"You'll turn it back on, won't you?" The blue-masked turtle actually sounded worried.

"I'm not gonna break their security system, Leo. I'll let it take a breather while we get a few things our family could use."

With a nod, the thirteen-year-old took off again, hopping to the next roof that cut an eastern path toward the church. Donny noted Leo wasn't moving as fast as before. He seemed to be setting a comfortable pace for him and Raph to stay on top of.

The ten-year-old watched his oldest brother like a hawk, picking up on the increased tension in his muscles. That and his continued silence didn't rest well with him. "What's the matter, Leo? I'm telling you, I can do this. It's no big deal."

"Everything about this sucks," Leonardo said quietly. "Not knowing where Sensei and Mike are is one of the worst things I can imagine. But having you here with us is...surprising."

"Is that good, or bad?" Donatello held his breath for the answer.

His brother managed a smile. "It's good. You kick some shell, bro, and why wouldn't you? Only been learning ninjutsu your whole life."

"I tend to get distracted too," he murmured.

"Maybe. But I liked watching you put a beat down on those guys."

"I wasn't sure if I could," Donny admitted. "I thought what you and Raph did was sort of cool, but I didn't think it was for me."

"What do you think now?" Raphael wondered from his other side.

Donatello shook off another sudden chill. "I think...it came out of me a lot easier than I imagined."

Raph's return snort was startling. "Course it did, Genius." There was rare, but genuine affection behind his teasing tone. "You were fighting for someone else. You'll stand up for another person way before you'll defend yourself."

Donatello started to object, but then recognized the truth behind the statement. "I guess...that's true."

Raph smirked at him. "Other people know a few things too, braniac. Let's get over there. I wanna see you beat this thing."

"We need to be conservative," Leo spoke up. "We can't take too many things from their pantry. Those supplies are meant for the needy."

"Which we are, technically," Raphael retorted.

"Yeah, but we have options," the teen argued. "I don't want to bleed anyone else dry. Whatever we get tonight, we need to save for Master Splinter and Mike."

"Agreed," the red-masked turtle said shortly. "Now can we do this, so we can go back to hunting? All this standing around is driving me crazy."

"Doesn't take much," Leonardo couldn't resist adding, before taking another flying leap.

Donatello sent another secretive glance to both brothers as their bickering continued to the next roof-line. It didn't bother him like it normally would have. For the moment, he was satisfied to simply belong.


	10. Impossible

The sudden blaring of loud music jarred Raphael awake so hard that he tumbled off the couch upon which he'd fallen asleep. He swore even as he picked himself up from the floor and fixed his brothers with a glare.

"What the shell, guys?"

Leonardo had the nerve to snort. "Would you rather have been soaked? We thought about it."

The red-masked turtle flopped back down on the couch. "Yer both shellheads."

"Takes one to know one," Don shot back.

Raphael dropped his head down on the arm of the dilapidated couch, sulking. He wasn't in the mood for receiving a hard time or laughing with the others. It had been three days since their father and youngest brother had disappeared, and the fear of what had happened to them was now acute.

It had taken well over an hour to fall asleep on the couch, despite running their shells off all night. His head was throbbing, he was still tired, and his brothers had woken him in one of the most annoying manners possible.

If Raphael had the energy, he would have sought some instant retaliation. Instead, he automatically started zoning out while resting against the couch.

"Nothing's really funny right now, huh?" Donatello offered guiltily.

He opened amber eyes to gaze up at his younger brother. "You _are_ a genius, ain't ya?"

"Sorry, Raph," Donny replied. "That doesn't look very comfortable. Maybe you should actually go lay down."

The red-masked turtle grunted at the apology _and _Don's concern.

"You need to go to bed," Leo agreed.

The sentence earned another dark look from Raphael. Sleeping in the space the four turtle shared along with two old mattresses wasn't the same without Mikey, and it made resting harder.

Leonardo folded his arms at Raph's expression of disdain. "Then you're not going to get mad if we do some stuff down here, are you? Or is everything in the den supposed to stop because you do?"

"If you'd quit talking, it'd make my day, Leo."

The teen clicked on the TV in response. "I missed the morning news, Raph, but it's close to noon. We'll get to hear it all over again."

Raphael groaned loudly, even though he hated giving Leo any satisfaction.

"I'll turn it off in a few minutes, if you choose to use your real words," the older turtle teased.

Raph gave Leonardo his equivalent of a middle finger and buried his face into a battered throw pillow.

"Nice, bro. Tell me how you really feel."

He remained behind the pillow and doggedly refused to reply. The red-masked turtle sensed Leo still standing over him, and it only irritated him more.

"We're gonna find them, Raph," Leonardo reminded him seriously.

An awkward silence followed when Raphael said nothing.

"You have to get some more sleep, but a little food wouldn't hurt first. Can I get you any of the Chinese?"

Raph didn't feel like it, but he also wasn't going to break into the limited stores they'd specifically acquired for missing family members. "Whatever, Leo," he answered finally.

Raphael lowered the cushion slightly to catch his eye.

"I'll be back in a bit."

The second Leo left the room, Raph looked around for the remote. The TV commercial blaring unnaturally loud in the background was somehow more annoying than the thought of eating the same stuff he'd been solely subsisting on for two days already. Though he couldn't see the clicker anywhere, the idea of rising from the couch was also frustrating.

Instead he replaced the pillow under his head and pictured himself falling asleep through the fast food commercials and advertisements for personal injury lawyers. The image of Splinter arriving just then and catching the red-masked turtle in the act of lounging when he hadn't broached any katas made him smile briefly, only to nearly break down in the next moment.

_Shell, I don't wanna think that they're hurt or dead, but where are they? If Splinter and Mikey could have come back, it seems like they woulda by now. Something happened to them, maybe something really bad. Wondering about this doesn't help, but I can't keep ignoring it either._

The shuffle of feet behind the couch revealed that Raphael wasn't alone, and he jerked to turn around. Seeing his purple-masked brother standing over his shoulder like he was keeping watch bugged him too.

"Would you sit down or something, Genius?"

He shook his head. "I was in the middle of something. I'm not staying long; I just want to hear the local headlines."

"Yeah, they gotta be fascinating," Raph grumbled sarcastically.

"_Good afternoon, everyone. This is Lindsey Ryan, and welcome to your twelve-o-clock news. Coming up we'll have your five day forecast and the updated traffic, but to top off the hour, we have the three big things you need to know..."_

The newscaster's chipper tone made Raphael want to kick the TV. _But that won't go over well, especially doing it in front of Donny._

_ "Coming up first, we're bringing you an update on one of the two stories which broke this morning. Ojas Char, the taxi-driver who was involved in a brutal overnight assault with his own children in the back seat, has been upgraded to stable condition at Manhattan General Hospital..."_

Raphael dropped his pillow with a start and sent a huge grin to Donatello over his shoulder. His younger brother circled the couch in slow motion, but didn't say anything while the woman continued.

_ "The eight and ten-year-old who escaped without a scratch have nothing but thanks for the mystery figures who stepped up to defend them, from what's being described as a racially-driven attack. Police are left searching for answers over the individuals who fled the scene, and what really happened last night at Cooper and Ludlow._

_ "The names of suspects currently in custody have yet to be released, but sources say at least five men are being held without bond..."_

Raphael clapped his brother's shell. "What do you think of that, Donny? First time on the beat, and ya made the news. Don't go getting a big head or nothin'."

The fact that the purple-masked turned crimson was enough incentive to call Leonardo back into the room.

"Yo, Leo! C'mere – Genius got himself covered on the news!"

The blue-masked turtle looked understandably confused when he emerged from the kitchen. "What?"

"_We_ made the news," Donny corrected. "And no one knows what actually happened. The important thing is, that family is gonna be okay."

"It_ is_ good news," Leo agreed. "Donny, why don't you sit down with Raph for a while? You need to eat too. Your notes can wait for a few minutes."

"But I got this idea deactivating the sensors last night..."

Donatello's voice fell to the background while the newswoman continued her broadcast. It'd been easy to tune out most of the follow-up story covering a local politician who'd been caught taking bribes, but now the red-masked turtle was ready for it to end.

He glanced over to find Leonardo with the remote control still in his grip, patiently explaining to their youngest brother why eating more than five bites of breakfast was necessary. "We already saw the best part, Leo. Can we turn it off now?"

The teen sent him a smug grin. "If you're done being a grumpy shell, I might be able to give it up. But it's gonna cost you."

Raphael's eye ridges rose. "Ain't got nothing to pay ya, bro, and I wouldn't give it up if I did."

"You really want to sit through the entire news then, don't you?" Leonardo gestured to the TV screen. "There are several minutes to go."

"What do I gotta do, y' stubborn pain in the-"

"_Stop_." Don's interjection cut him off loudly.

"Rude much, Donny?"

"Raph, shut up!"

The surprising force behind the command from his younger brother actually rendered him speechless momentarily. A scowl started to form, right before he spotted the news camera panning over extremely familiar-looking storage containers.

"That's not Reid's, is it?"

"Be quiet!" Leonardo urged that time, hitting the volume button to increase sound.

_"...and we're returning to a developing story we also broke this morning, as a Channel 6 exclusive. In the last hour we received confirmation that New York Freight Forwarding has rescinded all operations, following an ongoing police investigation. We go now to our Dan O'Brien in the field..."_

Raphael shook his head while camera angles changed. "It ain't the same place, guys-"

"Just shush!" Donatello ordered with no less intensity.

"..._Thank you, Lindsey. As we reported first thing this morning, Channel 6 has a unique perspective on this police investigation, as it was an anonymous tip called in to our own Crimestopper's line which shed light on the troubling dealings within the company."_

The picture shifted again, and the voice narrating switched back to Lindsey.

"_It all began with a __phone call two nights ago from someone who sounded like a child and provided no proof of his claims. The tip was almost dismissed as a prank, but two additional calls supplied more compelling information, which led our station to turn the information over to Police. We bring you our exclusive coverage of how it unfolded..."_

In place of newscasters or backdrops, a closed-captioned style text filled the screen to accompany an uncannily familiar voice.

"_You guys gotta check into this place, because bad things are happening. There are drugs and guns, and all this stuff that's gonna hurt people."_

The recording sounded too much like their little brother to be real. Raphael blinked rapidly while wondering if he was still asleep.

_"There are Crypts storing their junk inside the New York Freight Forwarding warehouse. You have to send someone to check it out. And when they find stuff, you gotta tell everyone that the Turtle Titan sent you. Don't forget that part."_

Raphael was on his feet at the use of his youngest brother's annoying, self-inflicted nickname. All memory of weariness and fear evaporated as disbelief warred with joy. It was extremely disappointing when the voice switched back to the lady newscaster.

_"When Police contacted the owner of Freight Forwarding, he was cooperative with their request for a thorough search. While the investigation into the warehouse continues, a deeper look is also being taken of internal personnel, and what part they may have had to play in the cover-up of materials which have already been located. Can you tell us about any new developments, Dan?"_

The scene switched back to a well-dressed man in an outdoor setting, with a clear shot of the bay behind him.

_"NYPD has yet to release the names of any suspects or the details of possible charges, but sources reveal that at least one individual from Freight Forwarding is being considered a person of interest. All operations at the warehouse will remain suspended as the wide sweep of the property enters its fourth hour._

_ "While Police are focused on locating the source behind the large quantity of narcotics that have been recovered, our station will continue to follow up on solving the mystery of the young caller that set this into motion, who only referred to himself as the Turtle Titan. This is Dan O'Brien, reporting live from Staten Island, for Channel 6 News."_

Raphael whipped around to face his brothers, and found them in a similar state of shock that he was experiencing.

"Is it possible?" Donatello's voice shook. "Staten Island? How would they even _get_ there?"

"How doesn't matter," Leo retorted. "Only the where. Don, we need information. Is this the kind of thing you could get off of a computer?"

The purple-masked turtle sank to the couch with an overwhelmed expression. "Uh...yes and no. The web can reveal a lot of things, but the most important details would probably be limited to the company's intranet. That is, their internal servers. We need to go back to Reid's!"

"But they ain't there, Donny!" Raph cried. "At least, it don't sound like it."

"That's where things must have gone wrong though," Don countered. "The companies are connected somehow. Our best bet for getting information on Freight Forwarding is to return to the original site. Give me a chance to poke around _their_ computers."

Leo crouched in front of him. "Donny, can you do this?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that...I'll make it work, Leo! I swear I will."

"What we need is a boat," Raphael pointed out. "Hitch a ride on the ferry and call it a night."

"No, Raph," the blue-masked turtle said quietly. "We need details before we show up, and we have to get as close to this secondary site as possible." After a pause, Leonardo looked back to Donatello. "If you tell me you can do it again, I'm behind you."

Don regained his feet. "I'll do it."

"And what are we supposed to do in the meantime, twiddle our thumbs?" the red-masked turtle demanded. "I can't sit here for the next eight hours until the sun goes down!"

Leonardo straightened to stand between him and Donny. "No. We need to get ready to go, and pack what supplies we have. Because when we walk out the door this time, we're not coming back without them."

* * *

Raphael had finally retired for the sheer necessity of recovering energy, but he felt too excited to fall asleep. Knowing for sure that his youngest brother was alive, and by extension his Sensei probably was too, made it much more difficult to unwind and relax.

The red-masked turtle couldn't help being frustrated. _Can you imagine the cops sitting around? What if people called 'em for help, and they had to wait several hours before doing something? It's been _days_, and now we've gotta find them._

Raph winced as he pictured his Master's disappointment upon leaving them that disastrous Friday night. Regret surged in the memory's wake, and made him want to forget the argument entirely.

_Be easier to do if Leo's smug self wasn't always baiting me. He can blame me for all the crap he wants, and it don't change what actually happened. But this ain't the time to be thinking about it, not when we've got more important things to do._

He rolled onto his side to face the wall and sighed deeply. _I never wanted to let Master Splinter down so bad. Feels like that's all we've done since the night they vanished, but it's gonna change. I swear I won't let nothing happen to them again._

Raphael squeezed his eyes shut, but it only made the memory more vivid. He hadn't planned any of the fight. The red-masked turtle never needed to scheme an explosion in advance; it was more natural to explode like a volcano releasing built up energy.

The recollection of Leo's shock when Raph ignored the signal for the end of the spar almost made him chuckle. Then he was reminded of everything the violent blow set into motion, and felt like punching _himself_.

There had been _no_ thought applied to continuing the assault when it was supposed to be over. Even the fact that Splinter was a mere few paces across the room didn't leave an impact.

Raphael still wasn't technically sorry for slugging his brother in the mouth, but desperately guilt-stricken for the aftermath. His mind drifted to getting physical with Leo the following morning, and the ease with which they'd _both_ fallen into it.

_The fighting ain't okay. Goes against what Splinter always taught us about defense. Shell, I don't wanna hurt Leo badly, but sometimes he comes down so hard...and that ain't right either! _

_ He shouldn't be allowed to get away with it, and he usually does. Feels like Sensei doesn't notice or care how Leo treats me. Leonardo's his golden child, who normally can do no wrong. I didn't hate seeing him get reamed out by Sensei for his part. I'd almost do it again, just to watch his perfect shell get put in his place._

Raphael nearly smiled, before fiercely shaking his head. _No, that's wrong too. What we did wasn't all right. If we hadn't fought, Master Splinter and Mikey would be here._

The soft squeal of their bedroom door made the red-masked turtle sit up, to find Leonardo hovering in the entrance. "What's up, Leo?"

"Haven't slept, have you?"

"Kinda hard to."

"I understand, but you've got to get some rest. God only knows what we'll end up having to do tonight."

Raph rolled onto his shell to stare at the dark ceiling. "What _are_ we gonna do, Leo? What if we can't find a way out there? Or Donny doesn't get anything off that computer?"

"We're going to find a way."

"Just 'cause you say so, bro? You don't have that much power. Some stuff really is impossible."

Leonardo didn't answer for such a long moment, he figured he'd offended him.

"You can't really _know_ if something's impossible, not until you've tried every option," the teen said finally. "I think many people quit because something _feels _impossible, but we haven't got that luxury, Raph. We have to do this, because we've got no other choice."

Raphael sat up and fixed his brother with a determined stare. "I'll do anything to get them back, Leo. I don't care how crazy it is."

His brother lowered to the end of the mattress. "I don't enjoy fighting with you, Raph. I never have. We don't agree about a lot of things, but we're on the same page here. There's nothing I won't risk to get our Sensei and brother back.

"I mean...I don't want to see you or Donny hurt, but as far as anything else goes? I'm willing to do it. There isn't one thing more important than finding them. We can agree there, right?"

Raphael nodded stoically, but wasn't sure where he was going.

"We need to get guilt out of our heads for the moment, Raph, and forget about our issues with each other. Because honestly, that stuff doesn't matter compared to missing them, does it?"

The twelve-year-old shook his head. "Nah, I'm with ya, bro."

"Tonight we get to _do_ something, Raph. We have our first real direction in days. So I want you to try to relax again, and remember we're taking action. We need you rested, so you don't end up useless."

Raphael snorted. "Who's useless, Leo? Not me."

"You won't be either, as long as you take care of yourself. You agree to that, and I'll keep on Donny's shell to sleep too."

"Do that, Leo. Can't have our genius keeling over on us."

"Not on my watch." Leonardo rose with a grunt and headed for the door.

Raphael watched him go thoughtfully, and exhaled as the door closed behind him. _I don't know if we can do any of it. But the impossible is our only option._


	11. Persevere

The lightest of sniffs made Splinter open his eyes. He wasn't really asleep, but Michelangelo had been so quiet, he assumed his young one was. When his eyes landed on the turtle now, he easily detected nearly silent tears.

"Michelangelo," he called softly.

Instead of responding, the youth curled up into a ball, as though he could obscure what was obvious.

Splinter felt a touch of impatience rising, but also regretted not discerning his distress sooner. _When he stopped clinging to me, I assumed it was because Michelangelo felt better. Now, it almost seems to be the opposite._

The rat shifted slowly, carefully through the vent in which they still took refuge, and lightly grasped his son's shoulder. "It is all right, Michelangelo. Or it is going to be, I promise you."

The turtle sniffed harder, then used his arm to muffle the cry which came up with it. Splinter tried to draw the youth toward him, but Michelangelo refused to be moved until he applied more force, which presented another noise risk.

The rat took a deep breath to muster compassion and settled down behind his son.

"It is going to be all right," he repeated.

"It's not," the orange-masked turtle stated quietly between gasps. "I shouldn't...have...called them."

"My son. It is not what I would have done, but I understand your actions. I know you meant no harm. We will avoid these police, and find a way to escape. Things are not as bad as you believe them to be."

The youth looked up finally. "What if something happens to them?"

"The police?"

"The guys," Michelangelo exclaimed under his breath. "We're in trouble, and they're not. Only now they're probably gonna be too, all because of me!"

Splinter rested both hands firmly on the turtle's arms. "I do not know what will happen, musuko. But we are not entirely helpless. And your brothers are neither foolish nor weak. I do not want them to face such dangers, but it does not mean they are incapable of doing so."

"It doesn't make any sense," the young one murmured.

"What does not?"

"Being more scared now than before! I was all alone the other night, and it wasn't near this bad."

"You were taking your first steps toward freedom, plus protecting me," Splinter pointed out. "In this case, you are backed into a tiny hiding spot by an enemy who is not actually an enemy. But we still cannot afford to be seen by them."

"I don't think it should feel like this," Michelangelo grumbled. "You know what I mean, Otosan. You're not scared of anything."

The rat shook his head. "On the contrary, my son. I am afraid of several things, but I cannot let them control me. There is always something more important than the fear."

Michelangelo lifted his head again. "Like what?"

"You and your brothers. Preserving all of our lives. I have done many things I was afraid to try, only because I wanted us to survive, musuko."

"But how'd you know we'd live, Master?"

"I never did for sure. But the alternative of doing nothing, or ignoring a decision I did not want to make was not the answer."

"Then...was I right to make that phone call to the TV station, or wrong?"

The rat wasn't certain how to reply, because he didn't know the answer himself. After a couple of silent beats, he realized Michelangelo wouldn't relax without some assurance.

"I think you did the best you could in the middle of a great trial, my son. The danger the weapons and drugs inside this warehouse present is a significant one."

"Yeah, but telling on those Crypts was just an excuse to get the TV people to pass on my message. I was being selfish the whole time."

"Wanting to help me was not selfish, Michelangelo."

"I guess not. But if something happens to my brothers, I don't know what I'll do."

"It does no good to imagine such things."

"I know, Otosan, but I can't help this."

"Yes you can, Michelangelo. I will not tell you not to be afraid. However, you need not dwell on the absolute worst that could happen. I am guilty of fearing what may become of them too. But we both need to have a little faith in your brothers to take care of each other and themselves."

"You don't think they're fighting?" Michelangelo's voice sounded even smaller.

"I believe there are more important things to your older brothers than squabbling with one another." _Hopefully, this situation will make that much clearer to them both._

The youth hesitated a moment longer from speaking. "I wish I wouldn't have called it in. The cops showing up makes it a lot harder for us, and I don't want the guys to be in trouble either."

Splinter wasn't sure what to tell him, because he agreed. He didn't want his sons within ten miles of where they were currently holed up. _It is probably time to simply redirect Michelangelo. _"It seems to me that you could make _some_ use of the experience, musuko. Perhaps as inspiration for your writing?"

The turtle made a face. "More fun to imagine someone getting out of trouble than to be the one in it."

"Yes, but if you can channel what you are currently feeling into a character of your creation, it may be a healthy outlet for you. It is something to consider when we get back."

"You still think we'll make it home?"

The rat nodded firmly. "Yes, we will. And your brothers are going to be fine. You shall see."

"What if they're already on their way here? Donny can figure it out, Sensei. You know he's smart like that."

"If they are on their way here...Then I suppose, we will see them sooner than later."

"It doesn't sound so bad when you say it like that."

"It does not _have _to be bad, Michelangelo. When we are one, our hearts and lives in unison, we will always be stronger."

"It doesn't feel like we're in...unison. Are we ever gonna be a real team?"

"What about you and Donatello, my son? The two of you could be described as opposites, and yet, what effect does that have on your relationship?"

"I don't think it matters," Michelangelo admitted. "Being different from _him_ has never sucked. Even when it seems like we're from separate planets, we just fit. Except that Don never believes anything he does is good enough, no matter how many times I tell him."

"You each have your own strengths. What you find within Donatello is balance."

"Right. But we're not all that way together."

"Michelangelo, you love your brothers," Splinter stated obviously. "Every single one of them."

"Yes, Otosan."

"And you would do anything to protect them. They are no different."

The turtle hung his head with another sniff. "That's why I'm so scared."

At least he didn't fight Splinter from gathering him in that time.

"I just wanna know they're okay, and to tell them that we are too."

"Musuko, you believe in them, and in me. Trust me when I say we will make it home."

"I'm sorry," the youth said hoarsely. "It's like having the same annoying song in my head, going non-stop."

"Are you under the impression that a song is stronger than you or me, Michelangelo?"

The nine-year-old's brow furrowed in confusion, and Splinter lightly tapped the back of his head.

_"Keizoku wa chikara nari. _What does it mean, my son?"

"Uh..." The youth visibly stretched for the translation. "I got the reference to 'power', Master, but not how you get there."

"It means that merely continuing _is_ power or strength, Michelangelo. It is found by not giving up. Perseverance demonstrates the real endurance inside you. I am not ready to give up. Are you?"

The turtle shook his head slowly. "No. But I think some more chocolate might make it easier."

Splinter was relieved to hear a note of hopefulness enter Michelangelo's tone. "If it improves your spirit, I am not going to deny you, my son."

Michelangelo pulled his tattered bag into his lap. "I don't eat a whole bar at once. Well, I did eat three of 'em yesterday, but I saved way more than that."

The rat had the urge to groan. "While I appreciate your...boost in energy, you are not used to eating this much sugar, Michelangelo. Though I will not prevent you now, it is not going to become commonplace."

"Oh, I know, Sensei. Do you wanna have some?"

Splinter's nose wrinkled at the thought. "I fear it would be too rich for me. I was not raised on such things, and neither were you," he finished reproachfully.

"But it's really good, and it didn't hurt me at all. You sure you don't want to try any?"

The rat shook his head. "Perhaps another time, my son. I would be more satisfied with having a little to drink."

Michelangelo withdrew a bottle he'd refilled with water from the sink, then tore the wrapper from another snack bar. "I really think you'd like it, Otosan. Haven't you tried chocolate once in your life?"

Splinter sipped some water and gave the turtle a withering look. "I have not yet, Michelangelo, but I am quite certain no sugar-laden bar is going to tempt me badly."

"Don't knock it, Sensei. You could love this stuff."

"I will find out at some other point, my son, and you would do well to limit yourself too. I do not need you bouncing off any walls."

Michelangelo snorted and covered his mouth. "When we get home, you gotta have some with me and the guys. Just one piece."

"Yes, musuko. When we get home," he emphasized, only to shut him up.

"That's a deal, Otosan."

* * *

The blue-masked turtle was ready to jump out of his skin. He'd been alternating between excitement and fear for several hours, while striving to appear outwardly calm. That became harder to achieve when they were within blocks of Reid's warehouse again.

_The nerves don't make sense, because we know Mikey and Sensei aren't here now. I guess it's just the fact that so much is riding on getting information out of this place. We could hop a ferry like Raph wants to, but it wouldn't be the best choice for getting where we need to go._

He groaned softly under his breath. _We're about to be crazy exposed. The idea of playing everything by ear scares me. We need some kind of plan, and hopefully Reid's will help us get one._

Leo shot a glance at his purple-masked brother, attempting to read his state of mind. Donny didn't seem afraid exactly, but the manner in which he couldn't stand still was unusual.

He heard a grunt from Raphael's direction and turned his head toward him. There was nothing strange about the way the red-masked turtle paced like a caged lion.

"Are ya sure about not going in with your blinder things?" Raph challenged.

Don shook his head. "I was able to make a few more with the raid on the Gold Falcon's dumpster last night, but I still don't have as many as I'd like. There's no telling what we'll need for where we're going."

"Yeah, but letting somebody see us here could mean we won't make it that far, Genius," the bigger turtle retorted.

Donatello made eye contact with Leonardo, and the request for backup was clear.

"Our supplies are limited," Leo agreed. "We just have to act like ninjas. Stick to the shadows and avoid people."

The teen flipped up the hood of a worn, over-sized sweatshirt. "And stay undercover."

"Because no one will be able to tell what we are under this crap," Raph complained, pulling at the bill of his hat.

"I don't like this anymore than you," Leonardo reminded him. "But it's what we have to work with. Donny says he can do it, so...We need to try."

"Then what are we standing around here for? Let's go."

Raphael kicked off the next leap without them, making Leo sigh.

_I'm sure it's his way of telling me I'm not the boss of him. Since we can't afford an argument at the moment, there isn't much I can say or do about it._

Donatello, however, was clearly waiting for him to make the first move.

"We've got this," he told his younger brother. "We'd better follow him before Raph decides he doesn't need us at all."

* * *

Leonardo was surprised by how much faster his heart was beating than their last trip into the warehouse. They were automatically moving more carefully since cameras were in play, and searching out the darkest areas to take advantage of.

They were simultaneously quieter than before too, not even bothering to speak for the first ten minutes of being inside. The brothers carefully traversed the second level they'd emerged upon, looking for a suitable terminal for Donny to "hack", as he'd described it.

Leo winced at the idea of wasting precious time. _Don doesn't even know if he can do it. He's only talked in theories. I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't be here._

He'd put up with the ten-year-old leading their silent progress so far, because Donatello was the one who knew what he was looking for. The passing minutes were making it harder to keep his own mouth shut.

Leo was so caught up in questioning their current position, he missed the purple-masked turtle sudden stop, and almost ran into him. "Use your brake-lights," he hissed impatiently.

Donny's head was cocked, like he was listening to something else.

"Bro?" Raph spoke up, only for Donatello to motion for him to be quiet.

Then the younger turtle nodded around the corner he'd hesitated beside. Leonardo took a couple steps forward to have a look for himself, and caught his breath when he saw brighter lights and the head of a camera poised near an open door.

In the silence which followed, the teen heard the quiet strains of a radio station, and cursed himself for not catching obvious signs of life from further off. _I was too distracted, but that ends now. Focus. I'm still not sure if we should be here. There must be somewhere more private to use a computer._

Leo shook his head at Don and backed away from the corner.

Donatello's eye ridges rose while he followed. "There's a good chance that everything we need is down there," he whispered.

"There's also a good chance of being recorded and or caught in the process," Leonardo replied shortly.

Donny sent another glance to the blind corner. "Footage should be grainy at best, and we're disguised. We could take out the nearest light too, but it would be nice not to destroy more than necessary."

"There's someone in there, Don. It's too risky—"

The squeal of a door made Leo cut off with a soft curse and duck against the wall. He berated himself for swearing again, and was glad Splinter hadn't heard it. The radio suddenly sounded a little louder, and then got quiet.

"I'm getting tired of your false alarms, Ray," a voice echoed down the hall. "I swear, you're just looking for something to happen."

The lack of a discernible reply made Leonardo strain harder to listen. His eyes widened when Donny chanced glancing around the only cover they currently possessed. The teen was a second away from yanking his brother backwards by his mask tails, when Don retreated to a more discreet position behind a trash can.

"Guy is wearing a vest. He looks like he's with Security," Donatello told him.

"And?" Leo softly demanded. "We need to move on."

"I don't care how bored you are!" the stranger continued. "I'm not investigating any more of your fake leads. Come to me when you've got some hard proof."

"We need a diversion," the purple-masked turtle suggested. "That man needs something to chase."

Raphael nudged the teen's side with a wolfish grin. "Sounds like fun."

Leonardo shook his head. "No. No way, Raph. There's no time for playing – we need to find a different computer-"

"We already got one, Fearless." Raphael sounded even more condescending than normal. "And I've got _this_. Gimme ten minutes to get back outside, and I'll attract some attention."

"No, Raph, you're not doing it!" Leo's voice almost rose too far.

"Yeah, I am," he retorted, looking at Donatello. "How much time you need on that computer?"

"I don't actually know," he admitted.

"Can you make do with thirty minutes? I'll meet you guys back on the roof. Then if we gotta do something else, we can take the next step."

"Raph, I don't want you to go-" Leonardo tried to interject.

"Got it, Leo. I don't care. Stick with the genius and watch his shell. Give me the ten minutes, and then come meet me in another thirty."

Leo was frustrated to the point of almost yelling after him when he bounded off. He couldn't do anything to stop Raphael without making more noise than it was currently safe to do so. He watched minutes slowly tick by on his watch, feeling like time had unnaturally slowed. Donatello hadn't said a word since their brother left, but the teen could tell he was struggling to remain crouched, unmoving.

Leonardo was in such a tense state that when a nearby door collided with the wall, he jumped along with Donny. At the sound of oncoming footsteps he saw Don duck further behind the trash can, but the blue-masked turtle looked around wildly for a better hiding spot.

A bathroom door a few paces behind them would have to suffice. Snagging Donatello by the arm he yanked his brother from the ground and dragged him into the men's restroom with him. With Don safely contained, Leo pressed his ear to the crack at the bottom of the door to listen as someone ran by.

"...No, don't call the cops yet! I'm supposed to make contact with Fink..."

Leonardo waited for the footsteps to retreat, and then inched open the door. "I think it's clear." His voice shook unintentionally.

Donny sprang off the floor. "Leo, we probably don't have much time!"

Running directly toward a camera still scared the crap out of the teen, but Leo wasn't going to mention it again. Instead he kept his head down and face obscured, while rapidly approaching the empty office.

Don was directly on his heels, and brushed past him to get to the desk. Leo stood back with folded arms while his brother tested the mouse.

"Windows*? Oh, this'll be a cinch. Leo, watch the door."

"What are you gonna do?" Leonardo was puzzled when Donatello immediately ducked under the desk.

"I'm forcing a hard reboot."

"And...then you'll find what you want? Why do you have to turn it off?"

"Leo, the desktop is locked. Now there are ways around something like this, but I think the fastest option to get the info we need would be to create another administrator. Then I ought to be able to access all the shared files in the network as well as history."

"Rebooting the computer will create another administrator?"

"No," he answered crossly, straightening up to sit at the desk. The screen was still in the process of loading when Donny typed something with a flourish, and the picture went dark.

Alarmed, Leo grabbed his shoulder. "Don, what did you do?"

"I'm starting in safe mode so I can kick in the appropriate Windows command prompts."

"And that will create a new administrator?" Leo pretended to understand what he was actually trying to accomplish.

"Using the command prompts will get me around other...obstacles. Leo, please. Watch the door and the time. I'm gonna be digging as fast as I can, so I can't afford to be distracted by anything else."

Leonardo took a shaky breath. "Got you, bro. I'll keep an eye out." _And hope and pray that you and Raph both know what the shell you're doing._

* * *

***I don't own Windows. That's all Microsoft. **


	12. Intruders

***For point of reference, I grew up on the 80's series. It was the only version of the Turtles I knew for many years, and the reason I subscribe to the storyline that Splinter used to be human. That is all.**

* * *

For Michelangelo, not moving was an exercise in sheer willpower. The nine-year-old was thoroughly tired of the cramped space, and the danger of shifting mere inches. His father's arms wrapped around his shoulders helped, but the loss of significant light when the sun went down seemed like a cue for them to try to escape.

He was confused when Splinter had been unwilling to go. Mike turned his head suddenly, squirming in his Sensei's grasp so he could see him better.

"Otosan, why are we just sitting here? I thought we were getting out when the sun went down."

"Michelangelo, we are not alone."

The young turtle's brow furrowed. "There are still people around?"

"The vent is delivering an overwhelming number of scents, which indicates the warehouse has not yet emptied."

"Can't we use the window? Or at least get out of _here?_"

"I would prefer to wait until we are at less risk of discovery."

"You don't think I can hide from these people, Sensei? It's not like I haven't done it before. This isn't that different from what we gotta do every time we hit the surface."

"It_ is_ different," Splinter snapped, making Mike cringe. "You do not realize the manner in which we are cut off. There are no sewers to escape to. No neighboring buildings to run across. There is only the warehouse and the sprawling grounds we have not explored. Under these conditions, I am not tempted to be hasty."

"Master, what's wrong? You're the one who said we weren't stuck. Now you're acting like things _won't_ be okay."

"They will be," he reiterated softer, apologetically. "But we cannot afford to take rash actions."

"Tell me what the matter is, Sensei. I'm here with ya, so I may as well know about it."

The rat was long in answering, and Michelangelo had a feeling he wasn't going to.

"It was quiet for a while," Splinter said at last. "I believe the majority of the policemen left. At least, I could not smell them."

"What happened then? Did they come back or what?"

His father shook his head. "No, these are different. It is someone else."

"But...why would someone besides the cops be here? The workers got kicked out, right?"

"I cannot say."

"Since it's dark, we can hide from them easier, Master. Let's do it. We should blow this place and get away on one of those boats."

The rat sighed softly. "It will not be that simple."

"But you talked about using a boat before. Why can't we?'

"The warehouse had been closed due to the police's investigation, Michelangelo. I don't think there will be any boats coming or going."

Mike gasped. "Then we _are_ stuck?"

"No," Splinter said quickly. "At least, not forever. It will simply require more exposure than I am comfortable with. We will need to find transportation elsewhere."

The turtle cocked his head with another thought. "Could you borrow somebody's car? You've driven before, haven't you, Sensei?"

"I had some lessons in my youth, but never a driver's license, musuko. I am not quite sure I could manage it now."

"What are we going to do then?"

"I cannot say for sure, but..." Splintered faltered when the small amount of light filtering in through the office suddenly went dark.

Michelangelo nearly cried out, but had the presence of mind to cover his own mouth that time. "What's happening?" he finally hissed.

"I do not know, but this has not only affected the lights. Listen, my son. The airflow within the vent has been cut off as well, indicating the power is gone. It is an odd move, and not one the police have a reason to make."

The turtle brightened at once. "What if it's the guys? Don would know how to take the power out."

"Yes, I am certain he could..." Splinter still hesitated strangely. "This does not feel right, musuko."

"We need to get out, Master. If they came after us, we've gotta find them."

Splinter shifted forward carefully, leading the way through the darkness of the vent. Mike followed at a slower pace than he desired. The idea of his brothers arriving boosted the orange-masked turtle's energy considerably.

The office on the other end was vacant just like the first night he'd found it, with only the faint light of the moon to illuminate the space. But now it was also incredibly silent, in a manner that left Michelangelo uneasy too.

The rat ventured toward the door, inching it open to face the hall. He watched Splinter raise his head in customary fashion, gathering the scents which surrounded them.

"Is there anything, Otosan? Do you think the guys are around?"

"I have not felt them, Michelangelo. What I _do_ sense makes me more concerned."

"What is it, Master?" he squeaked. "What could be that bad? Maybe the cops left sentries behind...who like to work in the dark."

"I smell alcohol, nicotine and...trouble, Michelangelo."

"So what do we do? We gotta get out anyhow. Can't we go through the window?'

"It would be our best option, musuko, but there is also a chance we need to contact the authorities."

"You _wanna_ call the cops now? Thought you didn't want me to before."

"I did not, but there is a serious matter of what these individuals may be doing here. If their actions are dangerous, we may not have an alternative. And if there is a chance that your brothers _have_ come...I do not want to leave by the closest exit. I need to find out for sure."

Michelangelo snatched the back of his robe. "_We'll _find out, right? You're not leaving me here?"

Splinter extended an arm around his shell. "I would rather you stay concealed, but I cannot risk letting you out of my sight either. We must be more quiet than ever before, musuko. This is not a game. We have nowhere to go. It is necessary to blend in with our surroundings and be like the shadows."

"We have to be like _ninjas_."

The rat nodded his approval. "That is a more accurate way to put it." His faint smile vanished as rapidly as it had appeared. "Stay behind me, and do not make a sound."

"Unless it's the guys, huh?"

"Yes, but...do not make any assumptions, Michelangelo. We have no way of knowing what this is connected to. That is why we must go forward with extreme caution."

Mike couldn't help grinning. "I hope it's my brothers. D'you think they got my message, Sensei?"

"I have no idea. For now, we must anticipate whoever is out there as a potential threat."

The turtle put on a more serious front for his Master, but inwardly, he rejoiced. He doubted the others could miss such an obvious clue, and the mere presence of TV cameras on the property earlier confirmed the station had taken his tip seriously.

_I bet this is almost over. Any minute now, my bros will come rolling in. I can't wait to see 'em, or find out how they made it here. Where Donny's concerned, I know just about anything is possible._

Mike's positivity persisted in the short journey to the first floor, though he carefully contained his excitement. _Gotta prove to Sensei that I can handle this. All I've done so far is show him he needs to keep a close eye on me. Just once, I've got to do something right._

He didn't normally possess a desperate need to prove himself, but Michelangelo dearly wanted to make up for dumb mistakes. While he focused on being silent and watching for the imminent arrival of his brothers, he somehow found time to keep an eye on his father too. It was second nature to follow his lead, especially in the darkness. _Heh. That makes it feel _more_ natural._

So it was was when Splinter halted in his tracks, the orange-masked turtle easily stopped behind him. He was about to ask if he'd smelled something, when the report of a nearby voice made Mike stiffen. _No biggie. We already knew other people were here – Sensei said so._

Michelangelo imagined he was melting into the wall while four figures casually strolled past their corner of the hallway, like he and his father weren't hiding there. At least, he thought there were only four of them, until another individual trotted up behind them dragging a sixth and smaller boy under his arm.

A cry of pain got Mike's attention and made the young turtle tense harder.

"I can't tell you!" The high-pitched quality of the kid's voice didn't sound normal. "I never saw anything, and I wouldn't have tried to steal from you!"

"Why _were_ you here?" The next voice seemed older, but not ancient.

Michelangelo squinted to make out features in the small beams being cast by two flashlights, but didn't know what to make of the one doing the threatening.

"We took some stuff, okay? But it was all from the recalled junk! We didn't look for nothing of yours."

When his voice lowered, Mike recognized the cadence of one of the boys from the other night. _The guys who"let" us out of the container-_

"You said you didn't _know_ there was anything of ours," his captor pointed out triumphantly. "You've been lying this whole time. Just for that, I ought to gut you right here."

"But if my cousin-"

A sharp backhand cut off whatever the kid was trying to say, and made Michelangelo jolt slightly.

"I really don't know anything about your weapons, except that my cousin wouldn't turn ya in,' the boy half-whined. "Why the hell would he?"

"Told _you_ about 'em though, didn't he? That's bad enough. Soon as we find the cache, he'll get to watch you die before he has his turn."

"You promised you wouldn-" A punch to the chin sent their victim sprawling.

"Caine, what are we waiting for? This moron don't know anything, and he's dead weight," another complained. "Let's finish it and use his body to bait the cousin. That'll open his mouth, if nothing else will."

"Call it in. If Raptor says it's okay, I'll take him out."

Mike's eyes widened at the shadowy outline of a pistol, and the way it was leveled on their motionless hostage. "Otosan," he whispered, hoarse. "Are we just gonna let them..."

"Stay here," he hissed in response.

"But, Master-"

Splinter squeezed his wrist tightly. "Stay. Here."

Michelangelo remained where he crouched while the rat carefully crept forward. He held his breath when Splinter approached the two figures at the back of the circle. Despite knowing he was about to strike, his father's smooth assault was still startling in its speed and efficiency, swiping both pairs of legs out from underneath them.

The darkness coupled with his Master's velocity made it difficult to tell what happened next, except for the sound of blows which made it harder to sit still. The armed young man spun with a gasp, right in time to witness his third cohort get knocked sideways, and then flung several feet by Splinter's next connection.

Gunman turned in a tight circle with a mighty curse, clearly trying to locate their assailant. "You guys aren't funny! Quit messing around!"

Mike heard the breadth of wind before his Sensei's shadow emerged at the speaker's back, and delivered a punch to the side of his abdomen. The shockingly small amount of force Splinter appeared to exert was ironic in the face of the thug's collapse. The turtle ventured slowly forth to watch his Master deliver him another blow between the eyes, which laid the writhing human flat.

"Sensei?"

At Mike's approach, the young victim suddenly stirred. Splinter's reaction time was like lightning, jumping over two bodies to reach the rising youth. He recognized the pressure point the rat applied behind the boy's ear in a flash, and didn't take another step until the kid collapsed, senseless.

Splinter rose with an angry flick of his tail. "I told you to _stay._"

"I'm sorry, Master. What do we do? We can't let them get away or hurt people, can we?"

"No, we should not risk anyone escaping, though I am not sure how we can contain them. We need to call the police, but it also sounds and smells like there are more of these hoodlums in the area."

Mike was still hoping that his brothers were around too, but the lack of evidence suggested otherwise.

"What can we use?" Splinter murmured, as if talking to himself. "I imagine there is rope around here somewhere, but we have precious little time..."

Michelangelo's hand flew in the air as he suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Oh, I know. I've got it!" Diving into his bag, he came up with a small box full of the familiar plastic ties he'd run across randomly a couple nights before.

"What are those, Michelangelo? Where did you get them?"

"Donny calls 'em zip-ties, Sensei. He needs these things all the time for projects, and always keeps an eye out for them on the surface."

"You are stealing?"

"Well...not that many. Don says they're really cheap, Master, but he can't walk in a store to get them himself. Anyway, don't you think they'd work on bad guys too? I know I saw the cops use 'em in a movie once."

Michelangelo bent over one of the strangers and nodded to his father. "Hold his wrists together. I'll show you."

The motion of tightening the tie was a little harder than expected, but after binding hands and feet of the first three, the turtle had gotten the hang of it.

"I prefer for you to tell me about the things you are taking," Splinter said reproachfully. "I do not wish for unnecessary theft to take place at your hands."

"They're so little though-"

"You heard me, musuko. If you do not..." Splinter paused again, lifting his nose to the air.

"What is it? What do you smell?"

"There are others close by. I do not want these ones to be found until we know if they are partners."

Mike stayed near his Master's side while Splinter bounded out of the hall, and across the center of the warehouse. They both darted for the cover of storage units to wait for a glimpse of who was coming. They'd barely hunkered down when the next targets became visible.

Splinter gripped his arm with a probing look. "What do you think of them, Michelangelo? How do they appear to your eyes?"

Sensing it was a test, Mike took a long moment to ponder their posture and attitudes from the short distance. He also managed to note that they were herding a taller figure in the middle of the group with strong grips.

"They look like the other guys, Otosan."

"They smell like them too," Splinter agreed. "And I sense there are still more out there. They are seeking some item desperately in this place."

'We have to stop them, don't we?"

His father sighed anxiously. "I am not sure if they can all be stopped. We need the police."

"We need the guys," the turtle complained.

"I will deal with those in my path, but we must contact the authorities to return. I want you to stay here, musuko."

Mike crossed both arms with a loud huff when his Master bounded away from the container, leaving him to watch. Some of the irritation fled the moment the rat ended up in the middle of the pack, without the strangers even realizing what was happening.

The turtle couldn't see anywhere near as much as he wanted to. He had to rely more on the sound to know what was taking place, along with the occasional darting shadow which combined the art elegant dancing and controlled violence.

The obvious ease with which Splinter dispatched what were probably unwitting gang bangers emboldened Mike to take a closer look. He had time to enjoy the sight of the rat dropping to the ground to avoid two who rushed him from opposite directions, and then successfully collided with each other to fall in a heap.

A chuckle just escaped when Mike noticed the hostage trying to run. Without a clue what the young man might do, the turtle lunged into his path.

"Hey, wait a minute!"

His sudden action made the startled man backpedal, which Michelangelo realized was probably better.

"Hey, do you have a phone?" Mike called after him. "You need to call-"

"_Michelangelo!" _

Splinter's bellow alerted the turtle to a light wind against his shell, and he whipped sideways with a spinning back-punch. The hilarious satisfaction of watching an attacker collapse like a box of rocks was tempered by the frightened cry of the remaining victim.

Mike turned to reassure the man, only to see Splinter lulling the hostage to sleep with a pressure point like he had the last.

"At what point in time are you going to do what I say?" the rat demanded.

"Um...now, I guess?"

Splinter didn't take the time to chide him further, and the way his ears twitched probably had something to do with it. He groaned deeply before addressing Mike again. "I did not sign up for so many. Michelangelo, bind these men, and find some way to use this."

He shoved a cell phone into the turtle's palm. "I could not turn it on, but I have a feeling you will figure it out. Return to cover, stay in this area, and call 911. Do not force me to search for you. And avoid fights with the others!"

"I can help, Sensei! You know I can. These guys ain't nothing!"

"Some of them carry guns, musuko. I expect you to do what I said," he finished sternly.

His tone caused the turtle's head to droop with shame. "Yes, Otosan."

He didn't like watching his Sensei disappear into the unknown shadows, or being forced to ignore would-be attackers. There wasn't time to pout about it though, because it was more important to make sure the guys on the ground around him were contained.

Mike made quick work of the thugs with his newfound zip-tying skill, and then grimaced over the hostage Splinter had harmlessly stunned. _I hope they'll be okay. Gotta make sure the cops know some of these people were captives. I wonder if the police missed something huge. The gang musta come back for a good reason._

The deed done, Mike dashed for the safety of hiding between shipping containers and studied the phone. He wasn't sure what to do with the device, so he fell back on the video game method of mashing all the buttons at once. The turtle pressed everything repeatedly with the used of both hands, and then tried the button jutting out on the side of the device. He grinned when the display finally lit up.

_Okay. Now to follow orders._


	13. Compassion

Splinter's heart thudded more wildly than he could give any of his adversaries credit for. The youth themselves presented no real challenge to him, except for the necessity to remain mostly invisible, on top of keeping track of Michelangelo without actively watching him.

There was also the minor detail of not knowing how many pockets of the "search parties" existed, or the weapons they possessed. The understanding that they had come out in such numbers to look for something in spite of the earlier police presence made Splinter even more determined to hinder them.

A loud screech alerted the rat to his next targets closer to the center of the space, who didn't appear to be doing anything but waiting. What they were standing around for didn't technically concern him, but the girl they entertained themselves with had an ungodly scream.

Splinter glanced over his shoulder rapidly. He wanted to double back for Michelangelo, but was having a hard time ignoring the obvious danger standing mere yards away from him.

The rat had stolen a hoodie off one of the youth in the last group he'd accosted, hoping to conceal his physiology from anyone who managed to get a closer look of him. Now darting toward the new circle of five, he drew the strings of the sweatshirt tighter, in an attempt to keep the hood in place during the altercation.

The only way to deal with that many opponents at once, regardless of their skill level, was to strike fast and effectively. He dashed in between two of them, catching the youth simultaneously under the armpits. Splinter knew the location of nerve endings so well that he didn't need to physically see them.

He heard their cries of shock and subsequent collapses, but kept moving at the same rapid pace. Splinter stayed near the ground to present less of a target to any individual harboring a gun.

The next thug made the unfortunate misstep of trying to rush him. The rat caught the young man by the chin, twisting his neck to expose vulnerability, but not to break it. If he wanted to kill the youth, he easily could have. But as the teen provided little challenge, he was satisfied to simply incapacitate him.

The beam of a flashlight preceded the next attack, and Splinter quickly wheeled around to avoid even giving the strangers a glimpse of his face. Once the momentum started he chose to continue with it, whipping back the way he'd come with a snap kick which met the flashlight wielder's temple.

The rat was prepared for the last young man to attack him too, but the figure threw him for a loop by bolting. Splinter almost let the youth run, but the sight of him drawing a phone to his ear changed his mind instantly.

Splinter pursued the runner, dashing after him at top speed until they were only separated by a couple feet. That was when the rat pounced, landing a chopping blow to the back of the teen's legs. He rolled with the youth, not pulling him up short until he had the thug on his back.

Two fingers flashed toward the runner's throat, locating the dent between his collar bones. What could have been a deadly blow instead rendered the youth temporarily useless, since he didn't apply great force behind it.

Splinter immediately reached for his share of zip-ties he'd taken from Michelangelo, and used a couple of them to bind the hands and feet of the teen who lay beneath him. Then he returned to finish the same action with the other men, only to be startled by the sound of the girl sobbing.

He ignored the thugs momentarily to pick her out of the pack, and found the teenager carelessly tossed aside, draped halfway over a trashcan. Splinter was torn about what to do with her in that moment, but couldn't stop himself from at least assisting her down. That was when he realized how small the young female was, and didn't immediately reach for a pressure point. Still, the instant he touched her, the girl's entire frame shuddered.

"Please don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me!"

Her desperate plea stifled the side of him which would have rather put her into a painless sleep. It could have been the terror in her voice or clearly young age which compelled him comfort her.

Splinter's grip around her only lessened slightly, as he still didn't want the teen to see him. "Be still, young one. I do not want to harm you. I am going to set you free, but first, I need some assurance."

"W-what?"

"Do not move," he commanded firmly, allowing her to lay down on her stomach.

Splinter turned to the nearest thug to find something he could make use of. The paisley-printed bandana wrapped around the youth's head looked perfect for the task, and he ripped it off the gang banger without hesitation.

The rat folded the cloth over to the appropriate size, and held it in one hand while resting the other on the girl's back. Splinter ducked when her neck twisted and she tried to look at him. He lightly rapped her shoulder for attention, but didn't apply any strength.

"Do not move yet," he ordered.

Fear caused her to cry out again, despite not harming her.

"Young one, listen!" he urged louder. "I am not going to hurt you. I will even help you, if I can. But there are conditions."

The tremor that took her made him feel terrible, but Splinter couldn't falter.

_She is petrified, and I am not helping matters. Just the same, I will not risk my identity. She is going to have to cooperate._

"Have I harmed you?" he asked calmly, to ground her in what was currently happening, and not what she'd already been through.

"No," she answered tearfully. "Will you let me go?"

"If that is what you wish. I can turn you loose to find a hiding place. The police are being contacted, and hopefully will arrive soon. You can seek your own refuge until then, or you may remain with me. I can protect you, but require cooperation in return."

Her head cocked, and he tried to imagine her expression. It was hard to gauge with her back to him.

"What do I have to do?" she asked.

"You must first submit to being blindfolded."

"Why don't you want me to see you? Are you one of those Crypts?"

"No, child. I am nothing of the sort, but I need to protect myself, as well as you. If you agree to the blindfold, I will personally guarantee your safety."

"What else?" the girl wavered.

He touched the cruelly tight rope binding hands behind her back. "I will remove your restraints, but you must accept a smaller one in their place."

"I don't understand!"

"Young woman, I know nothing about you, and I cannot thrust the weight of my identity on your shoulders. I will continue to restrain your hands, merely to prevent you from removing the blindfold while mine are full. If you agree to those conditions, I will keep you with me."

"How do I know _you_ won't hurt me?" the teen demanded.

"Because I already could have," Splinter said reasonably. "There is nothing preventing me, if I wanted to. If you come with me, I will keep you safe until the police get here. Would you rather run by yourself?"

"No!" The idea seemed to horrify her. "But please, don't hurt me. I really don't know anything!"

"I am not with this gang, young one. Regardless of why they brought you here, I have no intention of doing something to you. I need you to make a decision though."

The girl sniffed twice and acted like she would turn her head toward him again. Then she rested her forehead against the floor, signifying surrender with slumped shoulders.

Holding his breath, Splinter bound the bandana around her eyes, careful not to touch exposed skin and give away his hands' unique texture. Once the blindfold was in place, he used claws to attack the worst of the knots, and had her wrists freed in less than thirty seconds.

Splinter lightly directed her to sit up and went around in front of the girl. "Hold out your hands for me."

She grimaced, but obeyed. He felt guilty even as he zip-tied her wrists together, but quickly performed the action before it could become harder. Then he returned to the circle to finish tying up the leftover young men.

"Where are you?" she called.

"I am here. I need to make certain these young gang members cannot move before the police get them."

"What are you, security?"

Splinter's chuckle was low. "No. I was only...in the wrong place, at the right time."

"That doesn't make any sense." She sniffed again. "I honestly didn't do anything. I've never met these guys in my life."

"Some do not need an excuse to hurt another person. What is your name, young one?"

"Sam," she whispered, like it was a deadly secret.

"I do not know what they wanted with you, but I will not allow anyone to touch you again. I thank you for your blind trust, and ask only for your cooperation going forward."

"How do I cooperate when I can't see?"

He moved behind her. "I will guide you by touch. This is only my hand on your back again."

She stiffened under the pressure of his fingers, but then, relaxed.

"Okay. If you were going to hurt me, I guess you already would have."

Splinter took a couple of shuffling steps with her, realizing how greatly his speed was going to be reduced by the arrangement. _I would still be more comfortable had I been able to render her unconscious as I did__ the others, but at this point, it would fe__el like betrayal._

He'd traveled a few yards with her when Splinter remembered that he needed to backtrack for Michelangelo. The rat cursed himself inwardly. _Why did I get involved? I knew this was not a good idea._

A low cry made Splinter stiffen, merely because he recognized the voice. He was desperate to sprint upon hearing his son, but had no choice except to jog/drag his new charge along with him. _Of all the bad decisions I have made, this must be near the top._

Her own squeal demonstrated indignance at his rough handling, but he wasn't about to gently prod her the direction she needed to go. The sound of rhythmic blows reached his ears and unnerved Splinter further, since he couldn't see any of them.

Upon catching sight of a shadow quickly circling a much broader figure, he instantly recognized Michelangelo. Splinter pulled Sam up short and tugged the back of her shirt to emphasize his point. "Stay here!"

"But-"

"I will just be a moment!"

It was terrifying to watch the larger assailant swing a bat through the air repeatedly, despite being unable to connect with the orange-masked turtle. Irritation flared when he heard his son laugh.

"Dude, you couldn't hit me if I stood still! Here – I'll show ya!"

Splinter glared at the youth while he flicked his opponent's wrist with the sharp snap of his tail to disarm him, and then drew the young man's arm behind his back in a vise-grip.

Sudden intense pain brought a shout from the thug, and his bat went flying.

"Man, lemme go!"

Splinter ignored the plea made under duress, and brought a fist against the back of his head. The figure had barely collapsed when Michelangelo turned up beside him.

"Aw, Master, it was okay. I had him under control."

"I told you not to fight, Michelangelo, much less _play_ with them!" He allowed his tail to nearly take on a life of its own, continuing to whip back and forth with his fury.

"I wasn't trying to, Sensei, it just happened! There _were_ three of 'em." Michelangelo pointed to another crumpled youth off to his right, and yet one more who was behind him. "Those guys didn't even see me. I was like a guided missile-"

"_Damare!* _If I cannot trust you to obey one thing..." (shut up) Splinter was distracted by another shadowy figure staggering toward them.

He nearly jumped on the newcomer, right before Michelangelo caught his wrist.

"Sensei, don't. He's one of the dudes they were gonna hurt."

After hesitating, Splinter recognized the young man he'd only put to sleep with a touch.

"He woke up, and those other guys came from nowhere. They tried to take him. They would have turned their buddies loose too. I had to stop 'em, didn't I? Was I supposed to let them?"

Splinter sighed. "No, Michelangelo. This is not your fault – it is mine. I have started something that I am not sure I can finish."

The young man stumbled another step. "Are you the one from before?" He sounded both bewildered and half awake.

Alarmed, Splinter backpedaled, pulling Michelangelo with him. _I do not care if he is dazed. He could still pose a threat!_

_ "_Master, he needs help-"

"No names!" Splinter hissed. "Be silent, and do not move toward him."

The rat eyed the faltering stranger, and then glanced toward the other teens his nine-year-old had bested. Splinter gave Michelangelo a begrudging nod for the job he'd done.

"Bind all three of them, and let them lay where they fell. I will have a talk with this young man, and find out if he wishes join us like..." Splinter looked over his shoulder and found the girl awkwardly shuffling her feet where he'd left her.

Michelangelo stared at her too instead of listening to him. "Where'd she come from?"

"She was a captive also. I was—I am concerned for her safety. She cooperated with me, and I am going to find out if this young man will do the same."

"What are you talking about?" the boy slurred.

"Michelangelo, go. Restrain them. I will deal with this."

At his reproving look, the turtle finally obeyed.

Splinter turned to face the victim standing a couple of feet away. "I have assisted a young woman named Sam. I trust you are familiar with her?"

"Samantha?" His voice cracked with emotion, desperate. "Don't hurt her!"

"I am not going to harm her or you. I am offering to protect you, but you must agree to doing things my way."

"What's your way?'

"Take off your jacket, and pull it up over your head."

"You want me to what?"

"We mean to maintain our privacy, young man. Neither she nor you will have the opportunity to see us."

"But why-"

"Do you want protection?'

"Yes!"

"Then do as I say – now!"

He rapidly shrugged out of his coat, and yanked it over his face as requested.

"Hold out your hands in front of you. I am going to restrain you."

"No! No, I'm not doing it again, you sick bastard!"

"If I wanted to dispatch you, I could," Splinter countered. "I had no problem with anyone else. This act has nothing to do with harming you, but only concerns protecting myself and my counterpart. I will leave you here if you prefer, or you can come with us and your friend Samantha."

"No, you're not taking her! Leave us alone, freak!"

Splinter shook his head in annoyance, though he was fairly certain the boy didn't realize the accuracy of the name he'd called him.

"Keith!" the girl shouted, running toward them blindly.

Splinter stepped over to prevent her from tripping. "She is not hurt, and you will not be either. But it is your choice."

"Keith, he's cool. I really think he is!" the girl agreed. "Just do it!"

Warily the boy held out his hands, tensing when Splinter drew his wrists together.

"What...are you wearing? Feels funny."

"Special gloves," he lied, pulling the zip-tie taut.

When Splinter straightened up, Michelangelo was beside him again. He motioned to the turtle to take each of their charges by an arm. _I believe his hands will feel more normal than mine. And if he guides their steps, I can protect us much easier._

The rat crossed behind Keith and tied the sleeves of his jacket together, making sure the homemade shroud would stay in place.

"We will get out together," he told them both. "The police will arrive soon, and we will not let anyone touch you."

"Why are you here?" the boy asked. "Why do this at all? Do you really care what happens to us?"

"I do not have to know you in order to value your life," Splinter answered.

Michelangelo gave their blind charges a meaningful look which was surely lost on them. "Sometimes you can do valuable stuff without even trying. Like opening up the right shipping container outta nothing but curiosity."

"What are you saying?" Samantha quavered.

"You were here the other night," the turtle said casually. "I saw both of you. Just think of this as...returning a favor."

"But who are you?" she persisted. "Why are there two of you now?"

"Who we are doesn't matter," Splinter asserted. "We should not waste any more breath. We need to run from this place.'

A collective shout which echoed many times over made Splinter freeze up for a second, especially when overhead lights flickered on. He met Michelangelo's startled eyes with alarm.

"Mas-"

Splinter's hand flashed out to prevent him from talking, so he could listen. Gone were the small pockets they'd been contending with. Now it sounded as if a much larger group was coming, and it compelled the rat to run for all he was worth.

Splinter lifted his head toward the ceiling, and searched for the closest draught of fresh air he could detect. He spun in a circle before settling on a direction. There was no other solution left, though he wouldn't have feared as much to face the gang with less baggage.

Splinter hated to consider Michelangelo in that category too, but he didn't want any of the thugs near his young son either.

"Quickly!" he directed Michelangelo. "Do not allow them to falter! We must get outside."

"There are too many, aren't there?" Samantha shook like a leaf in Michelangelo's grasp. "We're all gonna die."

"No, we are not," Splinter negated. "Young one, trust me!"

"I'm trying!" She punctuated the statement with a curse. "Effing, stupid Crypts! We never touched any of their crap!"

"Shh," Splinter said sharply. "Now is the time to be very quiet. We do not want to attract more attention-"

Distant gunfire made his ears flatten and every muscle in his body tense.

"Move, quickly!"

Splinter darted ahead of them, but didn't speed up like he wanted to. He looked back repeatedly to make sure Michelangelo was handling the teens, and that nothing was approaching their flank. At the same time, he had to follow the fresh scent drawing him to the outdoors.

There many things to think about at once, and it made him regret getting involved with the altercations again. _I should have stayed out of it! This mess is entirely mine to clean up. I only hope the police will eventually provide some assistance. Would that they had continued to watch the area, and not left this place unguarded!_

He was distracted from the loud footsteps of the teenagers by the sound of individuals getting closer from another direction. Splinter couldn't be sure if anyone else knew of their location, but he wasn't going to take the chance.

The rat stopped in his tracks and turned to face the others. "Not one sound now. Someone may try to overtake us, but they are not ready for _me_."

"I can help, Sensei," Michelangelo insisted quietly.

"You have your own duty, musuko," Splinter told him. "You must make certain they escape..."

Another blast of freshness drew him toward a door which was cracked. He ducked into the room and found a much smaller space than he'd anticipated. Splinter didn't like the hollow glare of lights blazing down on them, but the existing blindfolds made him feel safer.

He felt even better when he saw a crooked window pane admitting the night air. Splinter made a beeline for it, but was stopped once more by voices that were too close for comfort. His hands quickly went to the window in a near panic. The pane felt jammed, and didn't move at once when he pushed on it. On top of which, whoever was on the other side of the door had also stopped.

Splinter called for Michelangelo to get behind him with the others, but was seriously questioning whether they would be able to escape from this.


	14. Move

"Michelangelo!"

Splinter's sharp hiss broke the turtle from the statue he'd turned into. "Work on that window, quickly! If it will not open, you must find something to break it."

"What are you-"

"Go!" The rat ran for the door, tensing while he listened for what was happening on the other side.

Michelangelo whipped back toward the window, and found that he could barely reach the pane from the floor. He looked around desperately for something to stand on, and a chair pushed up against a desk in the corner seemed like an obvious choice.

He received a wary glance from his Sensei while retrieving it, but his father said nothing. Mike knew Splinter was gearing up for another fight, but if there were a bunch more guns coming, he hoped they could just all sneak out.

By the time he was rolling the chair into position, the girl was sniffing again.

"What's going on?" Samantha asked.

"We're getting out," he assured her. "It's okay. The operator said it wouldn't take the cops that long to get here." _I hope._

The turtle pushed the chair against the window, but found wheels shifting the moment he clamored on top. Reaching backward, he caught Keith by the shoulder and directed the boy closer to the chair.

"Here. Just keep your weight against this thing, okay?"

"What am I doing?" The teen's voice was muffled by the coat over his head.

"Stand right there, and don't move," Mike instructed.

Then he shifted his weight forward to examine the window, fiddling with the locks on either end of it. Michelangelo pressed the glass from several different angles, but couldn't get it to budge an inch.

With a grunt of frustration he slammed both hands against the window, and heard a startling _crack_. The sound didn't come from the glass, but over his shoulder. Mike sent a harried glance across the room, just in time to watch the door click quietly shut.

The turtle wanted to run after his father, but the two bound and blinded teenagers standing near him demanded attention first. He leaped over the side of the chair to the ground with increasing haste.

Panic almost overtook him, before he realized exactly what he needed to do.

"Hey. Keith, dude, I need your help with something. Keep your hands still, because I'm turning you loose."

"You are?"

"Yeah, but listen, okay? My dad and I, we risked our butts for you, big time. He just ran off to give us more time to get out. So you owe him for this. You can't try to see me when I cut that zip-tie off, and you can't stay around here. You need to help me, and then I'll make sure you're both out the window. After that, run as fast as you can. But don't take the hood off until I say you can. Deal?" The speech spilled from his tongue so fast he wasn't sure if the teen understood him.

"I'll do it, whatever you want, kid! Just get us the hell out of here!"

"We have to do this part together. Hold still first."

Using his pocket knife, Michelangelo cleanly cut through the zip-tie on his wrists and guided his hands to the back of the chair. The sound of multiple cries in the background didn't bother Mike since none of them belonged to his father, but he still wanted to get to him as quickly as possible.

"Grab the chair and hold on. I'm taking the bottom of it. We're gonna lift and swing, but you have to follow my lead."

The clueless boy lifted his end, and Mike quickly demonstrated the direction the chair needed to go.

"Okay, so I'm picking up my side. When I count to three, swing and release, got it?"

"Yeah!"

Michelangelo hefted the wheels off the floor and helped angle the chair into position, then counted down for them. The turtle bent backward away from the glass that shattered upon contact, yanking the young man with him.

There was no time for hesitation when the deed was done. The turtle lunged to his feet and seized Samantha by the arm.

"C'mon, c'mon, I'll give you a boost out, but...actually, your friend should probably go first."

Mike gave Keith a push toward the window and got behind him with a deep breath. "You need your eyes for this part. Keep your head forward, and I'm trusting you not to look back. Promise?"

His vigorous nod under the coat made the turtle reach to pull it off of him.

"Get out," he ordered.

The youth scrambled up and over the ledge, landing with a grunt on the other side. Michelangelo moved away from the window, not completely trusting the boy to keep his word.

"I'm gonna cut you loose," he told the girl. "Don't move the blindfold. I'll give ya a boost, and your friend can help on the other side. Then you gotta run, and maybe not break into anymore warehouses."

"Keith's cousin let us in," she exclaimed.

"Yeah, but if you hadn't been here, those Crypts wouldn't have tried to eat ya for lunch. Remember that, okay?"

"Okay," she said faintly. "Thanks, Michelangelo."

He stiffened at her use of his name, but shrugged it off. Then he cut through the zip-tie binding her hands, and directed her carefully toward the window.

"Feel ahead of you. There's a ledge. I'll help you up, and your buddy can catch you. Got that, Keith?"

The teen avoided his sight, but Mike heard him cry out in the background.

"I see lights! The cops are coming!"

"Awesome! Get Sam down, and go meet 'em. Stay out of trouble, you two!"

"But-"

Michelangelo didn't wait to hear the rest of what Samantha was going to say. He ran across the space and burst through the door, not caring who heard. He found the floor littered with thugs in various positions, neither moving nor bound.

_Doesn't matter now that the cops are here, except for how much easier it is to see us with the lights on!_

A nearby _thwack _drew him back to the battle in progress. Michelangelo followed the sound down the hallway, where it forked off in another direction. The opposite end was shrouded in darkness, and Mike guessed the shards of a light fixture covering the floor had something to do with it.

Indistinct shapes were huddled near what appeared to be a dead end in the short distance. It was hard to count people, though the lithe shadow of his father careening through the group was impossible to mistake. The rat was more agile and skilled than anyone he was up against, but the pulsing teens had locked arms to make it harder to pick them off one-by-one.

Without a second thought, the turtle backed up to build momentum, and took a running leap toward the group. In four swift strides he horizontally dashed _across_ the side of the wall right by the gang bangers' heads, and landed on the other side by his father.

"_Watashi wa jikkō suru tame ni anata ni iimashita!" _Splinter's use of Japanese that time resounded like the crack of a whip, and Michelangelo was glad he didn't catch all of it.

"I got those kids out," he told him, and continued quieter. "The cops are here. We gotta move too."

Michelangelo ducked under the blow of a pipe, but did nothing to interrupt the swing from crashing into the wall. "Nice hit, dude! Why don't you give it another shot?"

The turtle edged closer to another opponent, tempting the pipe man to chase him. When his attacker closed in, Mike dropped straight to the ground so that hollow metal clobbered his friend instead of the turtle.

"Hey, thanks! Nice to have someone else on our side."

"Michelangelo, get out of here this instant!" Splinter yelled in the background.

Mike rolled between the legs of pipe-boy, who spun wildly to try and hit him again. The teen whacked two more of his companions, leaving the nine-year-old on the verge if hysteria.

"You're doing _great_, man!" he encouraged. "Seriously, keep going and this mess will be cleaned up in no time!"

The pipe sang a little closer to his head on the next attempt, but Michelangelo's chortle never faltered.

"You wanna play chase? I love follow the leader too. C'mon, come and get me!"

Mike shouldered between two youth, diving forward to avoid follow-up blows from the pipe. Laughter was impossible to contain, until familiar hands caught him by the shell and dragged him to his feet.

"Up, musuko, _move!_"

Splinter shoved him so hard that he almost lost his footing. He heard the enraged bellow of the pipe-wielder pursuing them, and got to watch his father's back kick catch the man squarely in the chin.

"See that, dude? Ya only need one good hit!" the turtle bragged.

Splinter's hand seized his shell so tightly, Mike thought he was going to shake him.

"Michelangelo, this is not a game!"

'I know, Sensei, but did you see that guy? He probably took out five of his buddies by himself! I didn't even have to do anything."

"I prefer that to you being injured, but I still expect you to do what I say!"

"I couldn't leave you, Master! You're all I've got. We gotta get out now, don't we?'

Splinter was currently directing him at top speed across the fully lit warehouses, whereas Mike expected him to head back for the window.

"No," he answered surprisingly. "We cannot leave."

"What?" The statement was so startling, Mike stopped dead.

His Sensei literally snatched him off the ground to keep going. "Quickly, my son! We dare not wait here! You said those police have come."

"Yeah, but why aren't we leaving like the kids?"

"Be still a little longer, and I will explain! We must get back into hiding first."

"You mean the vent?" he squeaked.

Splinter groaned, but didn't offer another solution. So it was, the pair ended up returning exactly the way they'd come about thirty minutes beforehand. His father's hands never left his shoulders, as if Mike would try to stop if he let go.

It wasn't until they were back behind the door of the original office and slowly crawling through the familiar vent that the rat chose to speak again.

"Michelangelo, the young men I just faced, I heard them speak of the News before we fought. The phone call you made has been replayed at least a dozen times over broadcasts. Do you know what that means?"

"The guys probably saw it?"

"It means they are likely trying to find their own way here, if your own stubbornness is any indication. After this incident, there is no doubt the police will watch the warehouse closer. We have little choice now, but to wait for them to come to us. If we leave, I do not know how we will be reunited."

Splinter's frustration was clear, but inwardly, Michelangelo was excited. His brothers _would_ come, and they would be waiting for them.

* * *

Remaining in a crouch was intensely difficult for Donatello. He wanted to dive into the pages of material he'd printed off the computer, but was currently stuck waiting on the roof with Leonardo. _At least, until Raph chooses to show up. _Don was grateful to his red-masked brother's for volunteering on distraction status, but now he was ready to leave.

A sidelong glance of the teen beside him confirmed that Leo wasn't feeling patient either. A low growl under the blue-masked turtle's breath left Donny more concerned about him possibly losing his cool.

"Bro, please don't get mad at him," Don requested. "We have to work together. That'll be harder to do if you tick Raph off."

"Yet he doesn't care if he ticks _me_ off." Leo huffed.

"You have more control than him. You're older and more responsible." Donny was grasping at straws, anything that could help stifle the fury he knew was growing. "You said you had to look out for us. That includes when Raph is rash and impetuous, doesn't it?"

Leonardo snorted. "You mean when he's being himself?"

"Please, Leo, don't-"

The flash of a shadow on the wall to Donatello's left made him spin with a start. Fingers grasped the bo staff he trained with, but rarely carried on trips to the surface. Leo was the one who'd advised him to bring it tonight, though the purple-masked turtle hoped it wouldn't be necessary to use.

He heard the sound of a katana partially being drawn, but Raphael finished dropping over the ledge before Leonardo had the sword in hand.

The blue-masked turtle immediately scowled. "You came from the wrong direction _and_ you're late. What happened to the timeline?"

Raphael offered a casual smirk. "Ya missed lecturing me that much, Leo? You coulda practiced on Donny while I was gone."

"Forget it," Leonardo declared. "I don't even want to know what you just did; we need to move."

Raph's arms crossed with irritation. "You're welcome for getting that guy outta there. And for running my shell off for forty-five minutes so the genius could play on the dumb computer."

"I didn't want you to go!" Leo retorted, fists clenched at his sides.

Donny took that as a cue to get between them. "Now that's enough," the ten-year-old insisted. Having real evidence to follow made him feel a little bolder. "The important thing is, I have what we need, and everyone is safe. You guys promised you wouldn't do this. Am I supposed to track Master Splinter and Mike down without you?"

Raph made a scoffing sound. "Are you out of your mind, Donny? You ain't going anywhere alone."

"I'm the one with information," he reminded him. "I'll ditch both your shells if I have to."

"No one is ditching anyone," Leonardo said quieter, then focused on Raphael. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Shell, Leo," the red-masked turtle grumbled. "I'm not gonna get myself killed just 'cause I leave your sight."

"I would still rather agree together on a course of action before it's taken," Leo replied evenly. "That's all I'm saying."

"Ya don't wanna agree on anything," Raphael countered louder. "You want to give the orders, and if someone doesn't do what y' say-"

Donatello didn't stay to hear the rest. He made a split second decision to jump over the ledge of the building, and disappeared into the darkness on the opposite side. Instead of running across the property, he dodged around the far end of a cooling unit, and buried himself in the center of surrounding equipment.

He heard his brothers' light footfalls a few seconds later, but didn't move as he sensed them going by. Donny stretched for his flashlight instead, and clicked it on to begin sifting through pages he'd printed off.

Reproducing the itinerary of every ship in the network was faster than searching for the exact boat they would need to take. It also meant there was a _lot _of material to get through, and the idea of allowing his brothers to run off some aggression while he focused on more pressing matters was appealing.

_Okay, so...some of the original itineraries are moot now. Things got rearranged after Freight Forwarding was shut down. It doesn't even matter where they're rerouting the crap, to be honest. What I have to do is find the next closest candidate to our goal, and then figure out how to get to the warehouse from there._

_ Darn it, this would be so much easier if I had a computer to narrow things down from this list and map it all out. I suppose I could backtrack to the library, but we're already here and the harbor is so close...Leaving doesn't make any sense. I could take another shot at Reid's too, but Leo will chew my shell out if I go in alone. _

Don spread out a couple layers of pages and began skimming rapidly. _I think most of this stuff is irrelevant for what we need to do. Only a few of these ships addressed the recall to begin with, and everything else is business as usual, being sent God knows where..._

He squinted harder at the paper beneath his fingers and sighed. _No, this one looks like it followed the original plan. There's mention of Freight Forwarding right there. I just need to find a boat heading the same direction so-_

A twinge in his gut was the only warning Donny had before hands closed around his legs and dragged him out from underneath the cooling unit. He flinched while his red-masked brother lifted him off the ground and slammed him up against the machine.

"What the shell are you doing?" Raph nearly shouted. "Trying to give someone a heart attack? Ain't we dealing with _enough?_"

"That's what I've been saying," Don retorted, shockingly feeling no fear. "Those are important papers under there. Let me _go_, Raph."

"I'll let ya go once I've got a leash on your shell!" he threatened. "No way am I letting you do that again."

"But it's okay for you to run off?" Donatello challenged. He felt Leonardo's gaze rather than hearing him, and turned his head to stare down the blue-masked turtle too. He was prepared for Leo to be just as angry.

Amazingly, the teen looked calm. "I told you he didn't leave, Raph. He's not you."

The way Raphael suddenly dropped him was so unexpected, Don stumbled against the unit.

"Right, you guys go ahead and pick up where you left off. _I'll_ figure out how to get to our family by myself!" Donny declared. "If I have to go alone, I'll do that too."

Raph's hands snaked out to catch him by the shoulders. "You ain't leaving my sight one more time."

"But you can do whatever you want?" the smaller turtle snapped. "Why's it okay for you to worry about us, but we're never allowed to be scared for you? You're the biggest hypocrite I've ever known!"

"I'm...what?"

Raphael's pure shock in the purple-masked turtle standing up to him made Don feel stronger yet.

"You're a hypocrite," he repeated boldly. "You do all of these dangerous things, and we're the bad guys for trying to stop you. But if we do _anything_ similar, you automatically get to kick our shells? How is that fair?"

"I can take care of myself-"

Donatello cut off the rest of what he was going to say with a chopping motion to his brother's wrist, breaking the grip crushing him against the machine.

"_Sensei _can take care of himself! But where is he, Raph? Where is he?!"

The older turtle shook his head violently. "I don't know – nobody does! We're counting on _you_ to figure that out!"

"I'm not going anywhere with the two of you, not acting like this," Don answered, cooling down at once. "I can do it on my own."

"You're not doing anything alone." The red-masked turtle was dangerously close to his face again, but Donny didn't care.

"You are not the boss of me, any more than Leo is of you. You don't want him to tell you what to do, but you wanna order me around? You can't have a set of rules for yourself, and another for everyone else. You either cooperate with _both_ of us and get onboard this team, or I'm not traveling with one!"

Leonardo finally took a step toward them. "I'll cooperate, Donny. Let me go through the itineraries with you. Two sets of eyes are better than one."

"I'm happy to accept the help," Donny told him, and ducked under the cooling unit to gather his pages. "C'mon, Leo. We have work to do."

He didn't so much as look at Raphael before striding away from the hiding spot, back onto the grounds of the warehouse.

"Hold up," the red-masked turtle spat behind them. "You really think you're leaving me out of this?"

"We _will_ do this without you," Don insisted. "I won't let anything stop me from finding my family, including you."

"You're _not_ going without me!"

Donatello sidestepped his angry brother's advance and clutched the folder full of precious paperwork to his plastron. "We will," he answered, forcing coldness into his voice. "There's no room for bickering, storming off or temper tantrums from here on out. If you agree to that, we can work together. Otherwise, you're free to take your shell home."

He gave his blue-masked brother another look with the statement, but Leo remained strangely silent.

The clear hurt in Raphael's eyes made it harder to stand his ground, yet Donny couldn't let it show.

"I know you would protect me to your dying breath," Donatello continued. "You'd also fight tooth and nail to prevent me from doing something stupid. You're gonna have to accept that we care about you, as much as you do us, Raph. When you do things that endanger your life with no regard for anyone else...It doesn't get any more selfish than that. There's no place for the attitude on this trip. Are you a part of this team, or aren't you?"

The red-masked turtle glanced down awkwardly, and didn't speak for several moments. "If I ain't a part of this team, this family, I don't know what I am. With Otosan and Mikey gone, I'm already wound so tight...The thought of something happening to you guys drives me crazy."

"We don't like the thought of something happening to you either," Leo mentioned at last.

Raph nodded vaguely, but offered nothing more.

Donny wasn't satisfied. "Are we a team, Raph? _All_ of us?"

His brother finally lifted his gaze. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Don."

The uttering of an apology was the last thing the purple-masked turtle expected, and it left him speechless.

"We need to figure out what boat we're stowing away on," Leo filled in, resting an arm around Donatello's shell. "No more messing around or distractions. We have to get down to business."


	15. Stow Away

Raphael wasn't sulking exactly, but he couldn't help staring at the back of the younger turtle's head. He wasn't positive if his brothers would follow through on the threat to ban him, but he couldn't take the chance with _this_ side of Donatello.

_Shell, I ain't never seen him act like that before. They wouldn't get far without me chasing 'em down anyway, _he insisted inwardly.

When the purple-masked turtle looked over his shoulder, however, he fought to appear passive. They'd spent the better part of an hour going over pages Donny had printed, and narrowing down the boat which was both leaving the soonest, and would get them closer to Freight Forwarding. It had taken nearly that long just to identify the other two shipping companies on Staten Island.

_Woulda been a shell of a lot easier if they were just labeled that way, _he fumed. _Nah, the companies have to use their dumb "shorthand" abbreviations and number codes that no one else understands. Except for the genius I call a brother._

A grin emerged with the memory of Donatello cracking the meaning of the nonsensical codes which stumped them for several minutes. They still didn't know which shipping facility was the nearest, but were following what the purple-masked turtle called an educated guess.

_We definitely ought to be following him. I would have been happy to take whatever boat we could find heading for Staten Island, but I think doing it his way will get us there faster. _While Raphael wasn't ready to make such an admission out loud yet, he _was_ grateful to do what he was told for the moment. _Long as it gets us to our dad and little brother._

The ship they'd picked out had a departure time of 9AM. There was nothing else to do in the meantime, except get onboard and find somewhere to hide from the crew until they arrived at their destination.

_Crap, what's gonna happen when we arrive? It'll be broad daylight. We won't have a clue where we are, or what to do. _Raphael scowled at the helpless feeling. _Doesn't matter. Ain't turning back now, no matter what._

The nearer they crept to the boat, the more paranoid Raph became. There were people scattered throughout the area working on various tasks, and loading the ship for its morning departure.

The boat was in sight, only a few hundred yards from their current perch, but their advance had halted. The hive of activity and existing lights didn't look like something they could sneak through. One thought occurred to Raphael as he gazed at the back of the boat, facing the bay.

"What if we went in the water?" Raph suggested. "We've got the climbing gear from that gym, Leo. Wouldn't be nothing to scale the boat."

_ "_I've got stuff I can't afford to get wet," Donny reminded him. "It's not a bad idea, but I can't risk the water ruining everything I printed out, the maps, or my first aid gear. We also need to protect what little provisions we took from Reid's. I don't feel like starving for the next couple days."

"You don't...have to go in the water," Leo said slowly. "We already talked about stowing onboard using one of the shipping containers. The main issue being getting back out, once we were already closed in."

"Yeah, if the door is engaged, it's not happening," Don agreed.

"What if we weren't all inside?" the teen continued.

"What are you saying, Fearless?" Raph demanded, annoyed with all the theories.

_ "_Donny could potentially sneak onboard through one of the containers, while you and I use the bay."

Raphael shuddered at the suggestion. "Abandon our little brother to a cage? That's the best you've got?"

_ "_We're not abandoning him," the blue-masked turtle insisted. "We'll get the number off his unit, and track Donny down once we get onboard."

"Only about a million things could go wrong with that," Raphael argued. "It's nuts. We ain't doing it. Being a team means sticking together."

Donny straightened up from the ground. "I'm not afraid, Raph. You guys will find me. I think the idea has some merit, and we don't have a lot of time to come up with something else."

"Genius, I ain't locking you into a box and walking away. How are we supposed to find ya?"

"I'd rather have a better plan," Leonardo acknowledged. "But in this case, with time being short...I'm not sure we have a choice, except to wing this. Unless you wanna come back tomorrow and try again."

Amber eyes narrowed at Leo. "It's a horrible plan, bro. How are we gonna figure everything out inside?"

"I don't know yet, but if Don agrees..." Leonardo hesitated, looking at their younger brother.

The ten-year-old's gaze landed on Raphael instead, dripping of defiance. "I suppose you'd like it more if we locked _you_ in?"

_ "_Shell no I wouldn't, but I still don't wanna do this, Donny."

"I don't need your approval," Donatello replied. "I'll do it, Leo. I'm willing to take the risk, but we have to make this happen fast."

"So you guys get to choose on your own, is that what being a 'team' is?" Raph demanded heatedly.

Don closed the gap between them in a flash. "With every passing hour, more men will show up. We need to get this done before sunrise. I'm willing to do it, because I trust you and Leo with my life. Can we please stop talking, and get to work on the next step?'

Raphael glowered, even knowing it wouldn't do any good. "I just want you two to remember that I said it was a bad idea."

Donny gave him a hopeful smile. "I promise not to forget. Let's go take a closer look, guys, and I'll make sure you know how to reset the seal on a container, and get it back open again."

* * *

Raphael was still fuming when he landed in the water, and made a couple of strokes to catch up to Leonardo's position.

"Freaking cold," he complained. "Who wanted to do this again?"

"You did mention it too," Leo pointed out wryly. "Take it easy, Raph. This part will be over soon, and then we can get to the good stuff."

"The good stuff wasn't setting our brother up in one of those dumb containers?" he snapped, worried.

"Raph, he's on the boat. Soon, we all will be."

"Why didn't we lock up his dang bag and drag his shell with us?"

"He wasn't about to be parted from the info, Raph. We can't afford to lose any of it."

"Can't afford to lose him either! We took our eyes off our family for one second, and almost half of 'em are gone."

"We're not losing him, Raph," Leo said sternly. "All right – stop obsessing. It's time to swim."

Raphael had to be content to continue burning under the surface while keeping up with his brother's smooth strokes, maneuvering around the darker side of the ship. His eyes fixed on the cable with homemade grappling hook hanging over Leo's shoulder, like he had to make sure the teen didn't drop it. The rope itself had been trash-picked from a gym with a climbing wall. The pair had watched their share of eager participants try (and fail) to scale to the top through convenient skylights.

The hook itself wasn't professional; it was merely made from metal scraps he and Leo had found at the dump. They'd only used the homemade grappling rope a couple of times for practice, but pulling it out now made the little operation feel more authentic.

The excitement of using the hook for a real mission was tempered with the fear of someone catching them in the act.

Raphael broke out of the distraction to find Leonardo a little ahead of him, already contemplating the side of the ship.

"What do you think, Fearless?'

"It's quiet here – I think it's a good place. I'm throwing the anchor."

Raph watched him cast the line, and felt like crossing his fingers for the hook to capture something useful. Leo's good throw made it over the railing at the top, and with a sharp tug, the teen confirmed it was caught.

"You coming?" Leo asked impishly. "Or do you wanna freeze your shell off for a few more minutes?"

"Rather be with Donny," he grumbled, still sore about it.

"You could have stayed with him, y'know?"

"So we'd both be locked in? Forget that – you're as crazy as he is."

"Crazy is kind of the name of the game right now, remember? I'll see you up there."

Leo climbed hand-over-hand, rapidly drawing out of the bay and pulling his frame up the line. Raph watched until he made it to the upper deck, then gave another experimental tug of rope, not trusting it entirely. A shadowed hand waved to him impatiently, and he wrapped his fingers tightly around the cable to follow his brother.

The texture of the rope felt a little _off _while he climbed. _It wasn't brand new when we found it, but I don't remember it being this...stiff. Maybe because it got wet? I'm sure that's what it is._

He put the thought out of mind while climbing up to the railing, and rejected the hand the blue-masked turtle offered.

"I got it, Leo."

"You seemed to be taking your time, for being so cold." The teasing jab almost made Raphael defensive, but something in his brother's grin made it not sting as much.

Raphael wrapped up the cable and stowed it away in his belt. "_You_ were the one who couldn't stand it anymore, lightweight."

Leonardo snorted softly, then focused his gaze to the deck on which they'd landed. "There has to be gear around here. We need to find a way to blend in with these workers, so we can head below without suspicion."

"You really think we can do that?"

"We were already gonna have to. Picking up Donny is a minor detour. Keep your eyes and ears open. We've got to be more opportunistic than ever before."

* * *

Less than fifteen minutes later, the two turtles were working their way to the lower deck, dressed in the most ridiculous get up Raphael could imagine. The yellow slicker rain gear looked stupidly out of place, and made the red-masked turtle feel like he was suffocating under restrictive layers.

"This is the dumbest thing we've ever done, Leo."

"I'm not disagreeing – but what do you wanna do, Raph? We didn't have a closet full of options."

"Ain't we supposed to fly under the radar? This crap will attract more attention than it helps us hide from anyone."

"If you act like you're supposed to be here, people won't have a reason to question it," Leo retorted. "We've come this far without an issue-"

"It's only been a few minutes, bro. We ain't done nothing."

"Except sneak onboard without being detected, and now we're heading toward our brother without any obvious obstacles."

"You think we're that lucky, bro?"

"It's not safe to assume anything."

"Is that why we're running around as a billboard for all things idiotic?"

"I know you don't like it! But can we focus on finding Donny please?"

Raph nodded, glaring at the floor. His one relief so far had been not running into locked doors or seeing anyone on the side of the boat they'd boarded. _That will change though. Closer we get to where those people loaded crap up, more likely we are to run into those workers._

He snuck a glance of Leonardo, but couldn't see his brother's face. All the trips they'd taken to the surface and times they'd come in closer contact with humans didn't compare with how nervous he currently felt. The red-masked turtle consciously deepened his breathing to compensate for what felt like ice water running through his veins, but it didn't seem to help.

Instinct told Raph to keep moving, not to hesitate for an instant, but legs faltered and knees suddenly felt like they would give out. He staggered against the wall out of necessity, leaning backward while he tried to catch his breath.

When Leo whipped around to face him, there was both concern and surprise in his dark eyes. "Bro, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Leo, this is nuts-"

"I know you don't like being separated from Don-"

"No, all of it!" he proclaimed. "This is too big for the three of us. We don't know what to do from one second to the next. I'll do anything to find the others, but I can't help feeling like we're in way over our heads. How are we even gonna get to Freight Forwarding?"

"Raph, I have no answers, okay? But you can't get bogged down in everything we need to do. We have to take one step at a time. Are you gonna be all right?"

"Don't have a choice, do I? We're already neck deep in this crap. There's no turning back now, and I don't want to. But..." His face flushed with the words he didn't want to admit. "Doesn't this scare ya? Because _I'm_ scared."

Leo glanced over his shoulder warily, like he had to make sure they were alone. "Yeah, it scares me. But not having Sensei and Mike scares me more."

"How are we supposed to pull this off when we're all afraid?"

The teen shrugged. "By not stopping, I guess. I can't pretend to have a solution. The only thing I'll say is, after all this, we're gonna be different."

"What do you mean, Leo? Different how?"

"I mean...whether we succeed or fail, we won't walk away from here the same. Tonight will change the entire course of our lives. Things already feel different, don't they?"

Raphael nodded heavily. "Yes. The stuff that matters and the crap that doesn't ain't never been this obvious. Do you think we have a real shot?"

"For three kids who've never left the same fifteen mile radius we were born in? I think we're doing pretty good so far. Are you ready to keep going? I think we'd better locate Don before sunrise."

"I need ya to tell me for real, bro. Are we honestly gonna make it?'

"What are we, Raph?'

"Like you said, we're freaking kids," he answered bleakly.

"What else?"

"Mutants. Freaks of nature who shouldn't exist? What do you want me to say, Leo?"

"We're ninja, Raph. In the three months we've been patrolling, how many guys have we taken down?"

"No clue, Leo. I don't keep track like that."

"Hasn't the neighborhood seemed a little better to you?"

"I dunno, bro. We're only two guys. It's not like we're ever gonna fix it by ourselves."

"Says who?"

Raphael blinked rapidly, not sure if he should take his brother seriously.

"Raph, if we accept that we're defeated, we probably will be. That goes for our neighborhood, and this mission."

"All I gotta do is think positive, and we'll pull everything off?"

"Not necessarily. But I believe we'll end up getting a whole lot further. Can we go, Raph?"

"Yeah. Sorry for holding us up."

"Don't feel bad for being scared, bro. But don't believe for one second that this is over. We're just taking off."

* * *

Raphael unconsciously gripped the pommels of his sai while Leonardo peered through the window of the door they lingered beside.

"I don't know," the teen murmured. "I can't tell how many people are in there. I think we have to do something drastic."

The red-masked turtle punched his shoulder. "Do something too dumb, and they'll either catch us, or shut down the whole boat. We need these yahoos to take us there, Leo."

"I know. Um...they're not _all _working. Some of them are just hanging around, and I might be able to exploit this." Leonardo's gaze drifted to a junction box he'd eyed a few times over the last ten minutes.

"If you hit that thing, it could blow up in our faces," Raphael said, trying to read his mind.

"There's a guide for the different sectors." Leo lightly traced the color-coded key on the inside of the fuse box door. "I don't need or want to take all the power out. Only a couple breakers to make our story more convincing, and give us little cover. Don't say this is impossible, Raph. We haven't even tried anything."

Raphael rubbed his eyes wearily. "Okay, Leo...just...do what you're gonna do."

"Stand up straight, and act like we belong here," he ordered.

Leo fingered the electric panel, reading a couple of lines to himself. "I'm going to take two breakers at once. Follow my lead, but keep your mouth shut."

"You ain't gonna tell me what we're doing?"

"You won't like it. But I'm shutting them down...now."

Raph took a sharp breath when his brother flipped two switches, and the hall and the room on the other side of the door got noticeably darker. He followed Leo when he headed through the door frame, but wasn't prepared for what he did next.

"Excuse me, can I have your attention please?" The blue-masked teen intentionally deepened his voice, addressing the individuals now standing in semi-darkness. "We need this room to clear out for a few minutes while we perform some electrical maintenance."

"What the—who the hell are you?" the closest man demanded.

"I've been charged to secure this area under fire code 45328. Are you familiar with the law?" Leo shot back crisply.

Raph had no idea what his brother was talking about, but didn't like the agitation being stirred up.

"Is there a fire? Is the ship going down? Why are you wearing _that?_" one particularly excitable figure blurted out in one breath.

"We're here to _prevent_ a fire, the boat isn't going down, and we changed clothes to account for the shifting forecast," Leonardo returned smoothly. "No one else prepared for the rain we're supposed to get?"

"Who sent you?" a third demanded. "I wanna talk to your supervisor."

"You can speak with mine, right after I have a discussion with yours about the cigarette smoke I smell, and the empty bottles at your feet. You're breaking at least three different fire codes as we speak, which could result in an immediate shutdown. Do I need to get the fire marshal in here? Would you like to miss a few days of wages?"

An angry murmur went up while seven men congregated together, and moved toward the door.

"Give us half an hour to address the malfunctioning fuses, and you ought to be able to return to your jobs," Leo directed. "Unless you'd rather keep goofing off, in which case, I'd be happy to speak with your boss myself."

"We're out," another returned gruffly. "You're not gonna ground the vessel, are you? Boat is supposed to take off in a few hours."

"That's why we need to fix it now. Let us do our job, and you can check back soon."

Leonardo strode off toward the right while the men continued through the door, and Raphael followed him as quickly as he dared.

"Leo, what the shell was that?"

"It's called a bluff, Raph. It would have been wrong to hurt those men, and we couldn't afford to get this trip canceled. C'mon, we have to find Donny, fast. The ID on the container was C18. You go left, and I'll take the right."

Raphael couldn't ask any more questions, because his brother had already darted off. He turned on one of the small flashlights they'd lifted along with the rain gear, and began panning over the shipping containers in his section.

_Why does everything have to look the same? Sure hope we can get this done in thirty minutes. Why did Leo have to give those morons a time limit? Wish the genius could send us a smoke signal or somethi-_

A hollow _bang _made Raphael freeze and glance around with paranoia. He continued to stand still until the sound repeated.

"Raph, what is that?" Leonardo was running his direction.

"I dunno, Leo. I think it came from down..."

The ruckus went off a third time, clarifying its position for both of them in the same instant. Side-by-side, the turtles raced toward a stack of shippers about a fifty feet to their left. Raphael's flashlight circled rapidly for the identification tab, and he almost dropped the tool when it landed on the one he was desperate to find.

He breathed a sigh of relief that Donny's container was second from the bottom of the pile, and anxiously fidgeted while waiting for Leo to unlock the seal. Raph didn't realize he was holding his breath again until the air escaped upon the door swinging free.

Don bolted through the opening like he'd been cooped up for two weeks, and Raphael was _sure_ he heard him snort.

"Better not be laughing at us," the red-masked turtle threatened.

Donatello swiped the flashlight from him and covered his mouth to contain a guffaw. "You guys look like the banana twins, and Leo _sounded_ even crazier!"

"Oh. You heard that?" Leo asked innocently. "No one wants the fire marshal to shut them down, right?"

"I only got bits and pieces, Leo. That was gutsy. Thanks for getting me out."

"No problem, bro." Leonardo smiled casually, like it was really no big deal. "We've got to find cover. Hopefully in a few more hours, we'll be on our way."


	16. Land

Despite being up all night (and now well into the morning), Leonardo wasn't tired. Even in the silent darkness of the cargo hold in which they'd taken refuge, there was no temptation for the teen to fall asleep.

Faint illumination penetrated through a crack in the ceiling of the tween deck, admitting the rays of sunlight which spelled out the rapidly approaching danger.

He glanced at his purple-masked brother, who still appeared to be listening to what was probably meaningless radio chatter. Donny had taken the ear piece and radio in the hopes of getting more information about what was happening on the boat, but as yet, hadn't told them anything.

Leo gave Donatello a pleading look, which he prayed spoke louder than words.

His brother tugged at the piece buried by his ear, but didn't remove it completely.

"We're about twenty minutes away from docking."

Raphael sighed at the same time as Leonardo sharply inhaled.

"This is it," the red-masked turtle declared. "This is when we either sink or swim. I say we jump off the boat and be done with it. Screw your paperwork, Donny, and we can lift food from somewhere else. Staying out of sight is more important than holding on to your research. We're already almost there, so what difference does it make?"

Don's eyes widened like Raph had told him the sky was purple. "What difference does it make? We don't know how to get home yet! I printed out a week's worth of itineraries, just to make sure we'd have options. I'm not losing our ticket back, or our supplies."

"A week's worth?" Raphael cringed."You think we'll be stuck here that long?"

"I hope not," Donny said quickly. "But realistically? There's no telling what we're walking into. I wanted to be prepared for the worst. That's also why I've spent the last two hours listening to these guys on the radio."

"Do you have something or not, Genius? 'Cause you're wasting a lot of time otherwise.'

The dark look the purple-masked turtle returned with made Leonardo flinch. "Yeah, I think I've got something. I don't know how either of you will feel about it, but I believe I found the easiest way off the ship."

"Well, what are ya keeping us in suspense for?" Raphael complained. "Everyone's cranky up in here, and you're trying to be dramatic!"

"Raph, would you shut it?'

Leonardo's eye ridges rose at the second time Donny stood up for himself within 24 hours.

"It would be simpler to show you guys, and from the sound of things, this may be the best time to do it."

"Why? What's happening?" Part of Leo had wanted to steal the radio from him all along, but as the device was Donny's find and his brother was technically inclined, he didn't feel he had the right.

"Because the men are being recalled to the main deck for docking, and we have less chance of running into someone. I'm pretty sure I know where we're going, but you're gonna have to trust me again. Think you can do it?"

Raphael opened his mouth, and Leonardo _knew_ a sarcastic remark was coming. He nudged his red-masked brother's side to interrupt and stepped in front of him.

"After what you've already figured out, Donny? I'm game," Leo agreed. _I mean, how bad could it really be?_

* * *

The blue-masked turtle tried to breathe normally while staring at the oversized red van which sat in the middle of the fourth level cargo hold like it belonged there. "I don't get it. There are _bridges_. Why is somebody transporting a vehicle this way?"

Donny shrugged. "Got me. Could be a legitimate reason, or maybe something shady. Why it's here doesn't matter, as least as it pertains to current circumstances."

"Why doesn't it matter?" Raph challenged. "We've got no idea where it'll end up, or what could happen to us. What if it goes the opposite direction we need?"

"Raph, I've been listening," Don assured him. "Couple guys have been exchanging random tidbits about the van for the last hour on channel 2."

Leonardo glanced at the radio. "Why is there more than one channel? Can you listen to a couple at a time? That sounds confusing."

Donny gave him a cringe-worthy look. "Channel 2 is private, where people go for longer conversations so they aren't tying up radio traffic on the main line. Anyway, the keys are supposed to be in the visor, so we know it has to be unlocked."

"What if we get locked in?" Raphael wasn't convinced.

"That's not how most car locks work," Don answered, a little more patiently. "They're designed to keep people out, not trap them inside. I know you've never ridden in one, but this isn't complicated, okay?"

"It won't keep people out if they have the key," Leo added. "So what's to stop someone from finding us? I'm not throwing the idea away, Donny, but we have to consider the possibilities."

"They won't have a reason to look for us," Donatello retorted. "We don't have much time for another solution. If you guys wanna jump ship again and come find me, be my guest. But locating this car feels like a massive dose of luck, and I'm going for it!"

"Hold on." Leonardo caught his shoulder. "That's not how this works, Don. We need to be on the same page."

"I'd rather all agree, but right now, there's no time to stand around!"

The blue-masked turtle was prepared to argue, but instead got distracted by inexplicable goosebumps. He was still trying to determine their cause when his younger brother broke from his grasp and darted across the room.

The odd sensation which had first only hit his arms instantly morphed into a sense of alarm which caused Leonardo to lunge after the ten-year-old and wrestle him to the floor. Donny fought so hard while the teen dragged him backwards that Leo was tempted to apply a pressure point to subdue him easier.

A nearby _click _caused him to dive behind the cover of large stack of containers instead. Don didn't get the "danger" hint, and continued trying to escape him with increasing anger.

"Leo, _stop_-"

Leonardo clapped a hand over his mouth so hard he was positive it hurt, but that was the least of the blue-masked turtle's concerns. Not until voices emerged from the door which had just popped open did his little brother go slack in his grip, and he felt safe to remove his hand from Don's mouth.

Now he rested both arms lightly on Donny's shoulders in a protective gesture. Leo felt a breath of air to his right, and turned his head to find Raphael beside them. They remained silent together, watching the newcomers who'd entered head right for the vehicle with a pallet jack in tow.

The process of loading cargo into the back of the van went quickly between two men, despite a third who chose to sit behind the wheel the entire time. Leo was disappointed by the loss of what seemed like a possible way out. He had been willing to consider using the van to hitch a lift, even if he wanted to approach it more cautiously than Donatello.

The job appeared nearly complete when the driver stuck his head out the window.

"Zimmerman said you guys missed a couple crates."

"We didn't miss nothing!" a loader returned. "He wasn't ready for us. I told Creighton we'd have to get them on the next load."

"Creighton just texted me. He wants the _full_ run onboard. You need to head back up and get them."

"But they were already supposed to be ready. Why can't Zimm bring the 820's to us?"

"He's bogged down with the forklift because of Harmon's accident. Don't bother with the jack. If you both go, you ought to be able to carry them by hand. That'll be faster than maneuvering a pallet back out."

The speaker waved off the driver with a grumbled curse, but headed for the door along with his partner. Leo gazed at the open back end with narrowed eyes, then exchanged a look with Raph. No words passed between them before they both ran toward it.

Donny dragged his feet in a manner that made the oldest turtle want to throw him over his shoulder like a two-year-old.

"Come _on_, bro!" he whispered urgently, physically lifting him off the ground by his midsection to force him toward the van. "Move it!"

"All the way to the front!" he ordered his brothers. "Bury yourselves behind things!"

The purple-masked turtle didn't answer, but thankfully obeyed. Leonardo ducked into the back end carefully to avoid giving away the change in the vehicle's weight, and silently crawled behind Raphael. He maneuvered over boxes and crates of components, searching for wherever Don had ended up.

It took a couple of minutes to find him, even knowing Donny had to be there. Wide brown eyes met him fearfully, along with breathing that still sounded a little ragged. His younger brother held his gaze for all of five seconds before collapsing against the floor of the trunk.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "Leo, I'm sorry."

Leonardo crouched beside him and tried to convey a calm expression. "It was a mistake. But it's also the second time you've jumped ahead of us in a couple of days. You can't keep doing that."

"I just thought...you weren't gonna listen," Don said weakly.

"Yeah, but you didn't know, because _you_ didn't listen. Do you get the problem, Donny?"

"Yes," he returned, shaky. "I would have been seen if you hadn't stopped me."

"We ain't against ya, Don," Raph spoke up suddenly from the left. "We're gonna listen to what you have to say, but we're going to be right a lot of times too. That's why you gotta give us a chance."

"This is stupid," Donny volunteered. "We shouldn't be in here. Those guys are coming back."

"They already loaded most of the van," Leo pointed out. "This _was_ good timing on your part. We only needed to wait a couple extra minutes."

"Leo, how did you know those guys were coming? I never heard a thing."

The teen shook his head. "I didn't hear them either. It was more like...a feeling."

"What feeling?" Raph's tone was skeptical, but Leonardo wasn't offended.

"I can't explain it, bro. It's just...something that happens from time to time. I don't control this, and occasionally it means nothing at all. But I try not to ignore it."

"What is it though?" Don persisted.

"I don't _know,_ Donny. I can't force this to make sense for you. I felt like there was danger, so I pulled you back. Sorry I got a little rough."

"Leo, I'd rather you knock me out entirely than let some humans have me. You don't need to apologize – I do."

"Well, you already did, so...you can give it a rest."

The purple-masked turtle's head sank to the floor with a small shudder. "I can't believe we're doing this. In the daylight. If we're discovered, there's nowhere to go. Master Splinter would kill us."

"Too late to change directions," Leo stated obviously. "We came this far, so we need to see it through. I'm not ready to go back anyway – are you?"

"No. But I'm kinda freaking out."

"Join the club," the teen told him.

"You are?" Donatello sounded surprised. "Neither of you seem one bit afraid."

Leo ducked down beside him. "You have to take a closer look. We're just as nervous as you."

"Speak for yourself, Leo." Raphael scoffed. "I ain't scared of those humans."

"I'm sorry, _what_ were you and I talking about earlier?" Leo asked flatly.

As it was, a door slamming shut around the side of the van made Raphael nearly jump a mile, and completely supported his point.

"...no, just hurry up. We're supposed to be upstairs for landing."

"Wouldn't have been an issue if things were ready."

"They're set _now_, meathead. Fit it in, and let's go."

Leonardo couldn't help wincing when the back doors were shut behind them. _We're not trapped though. This isn't like the containers. We can bail out if we need to, but I really don't want to go that route. We're already in the trunk, so hopefully we can hold out until we're somewhere a bit...safer._

* * *

Over the course of the uncomfortable ride in the van, Leo kept a close eye on Donny. The purple-masked turtle was currently pressed against the back window, fighting for a better view of what was on the other side.

He would have discouraged the move before, but kept his mouth shut since the vehicle had been driving under the cover of a large garage for a couple of minutes. When Leo felt the car slowing down further, however, he hissed an immediate warning.

"Donny, come back up here, quick! Get down and stay still, both of you. We might have jump out pretty fast, but I still wanna avoid notice if we can."

"What are the chances of us completely avoiding notice for the next couple days, Leo?" Raphael had to ask.

"Stop thinking negative, Raph," he commanded under his breath. "That's not going to help anyone."

"I ain't _trying_ to be negative," he said stiffly. "Only realistic."

"The odds were against us getting this far," Leo answered through gritted teeth. "Yet here we are. Let's attempt to escape from this obstacle the right way."

"Are you gonna define the 'right way' for us too, Leo?"

The blue-masked turtle shut his mouth instead of rising to the bait. By now, he wasn't sure if Raph was trying to pick a fight, or lashing out based on nerves. _It's common for him to be difficult, but I can't fault him for being anxious. I feel the same way. _

Leonardo was also feeling more tired with the passing minutes. _We have to hole up out of the way somewhere._

The sensation of stopping ironically made his heart beat faster. Leo peered toward the back window, hating even the smallest amount of light he detected on the other side. The sight of shadowy figures moving outside made Leonardo duck back down and call a final quiet command.

"They're out there. No one move."

Raph's strained whisper reached him a couple moments later. "Leo, we might have to do something."

He knew what his red-masked brother referred to, but wasn't ready to discuss attacking anyone. Leo remained silent while the doors were unlocked.

"All of this has to go to the back office. Rink, what are you doing with the keys?'

"I'll put them up when the job is done. We aren't finished until the van is empty."

"Are you gonna stand there and watch, or actually make yourself useful?"

"Doctor's orders are not to lift more than five pounds, not since my last appointment."

"So you're still pulling the injury bit then? Creighton ain't gonna see you, which means you can cut the crap and give me a hand.'

"That would get me into more trouble than it's worth."

There was a loud huff along with the first crate which was removed from the trunk.

"If the others don't get here soon, I deserve their share of the bonus."

A rude snort followed. "Y' think this is about a bonus? Man, your job is on the line with this van."

"But that ain't fair!"

Leo heard the man's breathing catch, even as his chest did the same. The way the vehicle shifted with the mover's weight made the turtle back up even further.

"I didn't sign up to do this alone."

'Why don't you keep track of your buddies then?"

"We have real jobs to be doing, Rink. I'll be surprised if the boss didn't notice me missing yet. If I get in trouble for this..."

"Quit your belly-aching, man! This was a great score for you, and you're messing it up."

The entire car shifted again as the man climbed inside, grabbing a box with greater violence.

"I don't have to stick around for this. You don't even appreciate what I'm doing. Get somebody dumber to finish it."

"Drew, don't be difficult. This isn't a big deal."

"Yeah, for you. All you had to do was drive the freaking car into the garage. Meanwhile, I'm supposed to haul half a ton of crates without any help, and you couldn't care less. So you know what? I'm out."

"You don't have to haul it all that far. What you need is a u-boat, and I already saw one outside."

The sound of a foot colliding with a box preceded the item careening Leo's direction.

"I'm not responsible for all of this. It isn't right."

Leonardo heard the man's voice lower, but his disturbingly close contact still had the turtle very concerned. For every second that passed, he feared Raphael was going to take action of his own. The temptation to deal with the man steadily working their direction was hard even for _him_ to resist.

The figure braced against a crate about two feet from him, but then unexpectedly released it. "Nah. You know what? I'm done. Get someone else."

"I've already got you. Finish the job, Drew. I'll message Creighton, and you'll get a bigger share."

"Too late for that."

Leonardo watched cautiously between boxes while the stranger backtracked and headed out the door. His breath released in a short gasp while the man landed on the ground with a loud curse.

"Call someone else. I'm going back to my real job."

When footsteps moved away, Leo glanced up at the cold dome light illuminating the back of the van, and looked for his purple-masked brother. "Don. Can you kill that fixture with your bo from where you are?"

The younger turtle drew his weapon experimentally, stretching to see if he could reach the light without moving. In the end, Donatello had to scoot a few inches to silently line up his bo. His effective strike only required one blow to send the back end into darkness.

Faint light penetrated from the environment on the other side, but the blue-masked turtle still felt better about the trunk. _Until they grab a few more things from the back. We could be royally screwed._

_ "_What the hell happened to the light?" the familiar voice of the driver demanded a beat later. "It was working fine a minute ago. What'd you do in there?"

An exasperated sigh fled the other man. "I didn't touch the freaking thing. I told you, I'm out anyway!"

"Creighton will be pissed about damages."

"So don't mention it. Not like he's gonna notice, when he isn't doing any of the work."

"Drew, get back here! We're running low on time..."

The moment both men's voices were retreating, Leo didn't hesitate. He exploded from the ground, sending a couple crates tumbling with his haste. The noise didn't matter as much, as long as they managed to escape.

Leonardo heard a few more things topple, but was zeroed in on the back doors like they were their salvation. The instant his feet touched the ground, he swept around the side of the vehicle and looked left and right for the strangers.

He saw two shadows a couple yards off, one pursuing the other. Leo looked backward when he felt his brothers' arrival behind him, and waved severely.

"C'mon, quick!"

They disappeared in between two more parked cars, not stopping for anything else until Leonardo hopped over a counter which backed up to another wall. The teen mutely took in the sight of box after box stacked around them, before Raph finally spoke up.

"We coulda taken them, Fearless. We cut that way too close. What if they hadn't left?"

Leo turned to his brother. "Sure, we could have. But even if we'd knocked them out, they would have come back around _knowing_ they were attacked. You want someone tearing this place apart looking for us?"

Raphael mumbled something indiscernible.

"Either way, we aren't safe yet. We need somewhere to hide until nightfall, and this huge garage has a lot of possibilities," Leonardo mentioned.

Raphael swore. "We spend half our lives waiting for it to get dark. Just once, I wanna do something without having to worry about who's gonna see us."

"Well, that's not today," Leo retorted, exhaustion and stress making him short. There was no point in complaining about factors none of them could control.

"Leo, what about up there?" Don's quiet question mellowed the blue-masked turtle slightly.

He glanced to where Don pointed at the ceiling.

"The rafters look mostly finished," the younger turtle went on. "We may even be able to access the roof from there."

"Good call, Donny. Let's head up."

He shot his red-masked brother a look to make sure he followed, and didn't bother to ask what he thought about it. Leonardo caught Raphael's sullen expression briefly in the low light cast from an overhead fixture. _At this point, he would probably object just to piss me off._

"Well, it ain't as bad as it coulda been, at least so far," Raph admitted.

The statement jerked Leo's head sideways in disbelief. "What?"

"I'm saying this went better than I thought it could. I hope the rest of it goes even faster. We have to find 'em tonight, Leo. It's been too freaking long."

Leonardo nodded, offering the most reassuring smile he could muster. "That's why we're here, Raph. We won't let anything stop us. We're gonna make it, okay? I know you hate waiting, and I don't want to either. But we're a whole lot closer now than we were before, and by this evening, we'll be nearer yet."


	17. Hold On

Raphael was dutifully taking his turn to keep watch, even though he wasn't convinced his older brother was resting. _Shell, he's been moving so much, I'd be surprised if he had more than a few minutes of sleep. Yet we're the ones he's always worried about._

Watching Leonardo now, the teen appeared his most tense yet. The soft whimper that left him caused Raph's hand to finally land on his shoulder. The physical contact seemed to heighten whatever Leo was experiencing, because his brother jerked violently away.

"Take it easy, bro," Raphael said gruffly. "It's only me."

Dark eyes retained a hint of alarm, even after connecting with Raphael. Then Leo sat up slightly, glancing toward the sunlight filtering in the windows beneath the platform upon which they resided.

"Y'okay, Leo?'

It took a couple seconds for the blue-masked turtle to look back. "Yeah, Raph. Sorry."

"Ya don't have to be sorry. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he murmured, distracted. Leo glanced around the attic until fixing on their purple-masked brother, who _was_ actually asleep.

"He's resting a lot better than you," Raph offered. "C'mon, Leo. What's your problem?"

"I can't relax, Raph; that's all."

"Not what it looked like, bro. I'm not really your enemy, y'know? It wouldn't hurt you to tell me the truth."

"I never said you were my enemy."

"Then why you gotta act all hard?"

"What choice do I _have?_" Leo demanded softly. "I'm doing the best I can, Raph."

"Fine, be that way. Not like I could ever help ya anyhow." Raphael turned away from him with a huff. "Just go back to sleep. Didn't look like you barely got any."

"Doesn't feel like it either," his brother muttered, and said nothing more.

The silence between them was uncomfortable, but the red-masked turtle wasn't going to break it when he'd already asked what was wrong multiple times.

"I don't want to close my eyes," Leonardo admitted finally. "I'm afraid I'll see it again."

Raph peered over his shoulder at him, waiting to see if he'd go on.

"I know that's stupid," the teen declared defensively.

"Nah. What's stupid is refusing to admit what's eating you," he retorted.

"You don't want to hear it, okay?" Leo said quieter. "I'm gonna get some more rest."

The conversation left Raphael utterly frustrated, but he wasn't surprised. There was a time when he could remember the rivalry with Leo being more like a game, yet in the last year, it had somehow become more serious.

He couldn't put a finger on a single event that had tipped the balance between them, but the red-masked turtle imagined it came down to his brother's desperate need for control. The depth of the tension between them was illustrated perfectly in Leonardo's utter refusal to be real with him.

_That's gotta be it right there. He's gotten better – we _both_ have. But at the same time, he wants to act like he can handle everything himself. Same way Leo thinks protecting everybody is his freaking job._

_ Sensei always says the team's the most important thing, but I can't help feeling as if succeeding matters more to his perfect shell. He doesn't want anything from me. That'd be like admitting he failed or something._

With another sigh the red-masked turtle relaxed on his side, but kept his eyes open. _Dang sun is taking too long to move. I wanna get outta here and find our family. Then Leo won't have to force togetherness down our throat, or keep trying to control our steps. _

_ We can go back to being casual partners, and looking for the morons who are picking on people in our neighborhood. Eventually, I could probably do that without him too. It's something to look forward to, but I can't think about that yet. Still got something hard in front of us, and it'll likely take all three of us to get there._

* * *

The red-masked turtle shivered from the too-cool breeze coming off the bay. He usually enjoyed the fresh air, particularly since they were stuck underground 95% of the time. But the wind tonight was significantly colder than it had been for the last few, and he couldn't pretend to like it.

He caught his younger brother staring at the sky, and then marveled himself at how fast clouds were whipping by overhead. "That's some wind."

"Yeah," Donny agreed. "It feels like a low pressure system is coming in. Weather is changing pretty rapidly.'

"Do you think it'll rain?" Leo asked.

Don nodded. "Eventually. We'd be better off if we get a move on."

"'Cause getting wet will be a huge problem for giant, talking turtles," Raph suggested sarcastically. He was eager to hurry because he wanted to find Splinter and Mikey, not for the sake of some stupid storm.

Leonardo gave him a sharp look, but didn't say anything. Raphael felt like his brother retained the same disturbed aura he'd demonstrated earlier, but there was no point in challenging him on it.

_Leo wouldn't talk when it was just the two of us. He sure as shell won't open up with the genius standing there either. Gotta keep up the perfect image._

_ "_Lay down the track we're taking," the thirteen-year-old requested, oblivious to Raphael's judgment.

"We're going to cut across the grounds of the Industrial Park," Donny started slowly, and pointed over the roof they were surveying. "We need to make it to that section over there, where the other buildings are. I can't tell where Freight Forwarding is from here, but hopefully with a couple more miles and a higher vantage point, we'll get a better lay of the land."

"Might be faster to take a car," Raphael commented, earning another look from Leo. "What? I'm big enough to drive. Ain't like I'm gonna keep it."

"It's hard to practice the art of invisibility when you want to commit felonies every five minutes," his older brother returned.

"Taking a car ain't _always_ a felony, Leo."

"And what makes you the expert?"

Raphael couldn't resist flashing a cocky smile. "Three marathons of Cops* this year."

The blue-masked turtle rolled his eyes. "You watch too much TV."

Raph shrugged. "I'm only stating the obvious. This would be easier with a car."

"We're not stealing a car," Leo insisted sternly, and turned back to the cluster of buildings in the distance. "Let's get down from here. We can close those two miles in no time. I'm done talking about it, and ready to leave."

* * *

Despite the new territory, the literal act of sneaking across the outer rim of the shipyard was so simple, Raphael found it kind of boring. There weren't many people around, and those working were easy to miss. The silent trek ended up feeling more like a regular training exercise than an adventure, and left him unsatisfied.

Raph stifled several yawns on the way, not because he was tired, but from being desperate for something more interesting to happen. _Y'mean like your dad and little brother disappearing? Shut up while you're still ahead, and be glad you're gonna get to them at all._

He couldn't help glowering when his brothers hesitated for the barrier of a chain link fence separating them from their current goal of secondary buildings. Raphael wasn't technically irritated by anything they'd done, but when they'd set out on an "impossible" mission, he'd expected things to be a little harder.

_I swear, there's something wrong with my head. Everything is going smooth, and here I'm complaining because I'm bored. Who does that?_

The red-masked turtle followed their lead in scaling the fence, and heading for the closest warehouse in the district. Climbing the building was something he could have done with his eyes closed. He was tempted to shut them a few times on the way up, but the possibility of missing a hand or foothold on the unfamiliar structure caused him to begrudgingly watch where he was going.

Raphael eyed his oldest brother smoothly ascending above him, and almost snorted. _Leo might try it with his eyes closed if I challenged him. Be fun to see how far either of us could get without making a mistake._

He shook off the distraction while yanking his frame over the ledge, up onto the rooftop. Leo and Donny were already halfway across the flat surface when he got there, not bothering to check if Raph had arrived. _Big deal. I don't need no babysitter anyway._

The red-masked turtle coolly came up behind them, and clapped both hands on his younger brother's shoulders. The move made the smaller turtle jump, and Raph laughed at him. "Ya think the boogeyman is up here, Donny?"

"You startled me! You don't go around grabbing people in the dark."

"Maybe you don't, but I do." Raph smirked.

"Knock it off," Leo said briskly. "We're not stopping here."

Without another word, the teen launched to the next roof. Raphael lazily followed after him, landing in a somersault that propelled him all the way to the opposite ledge. He waited at the edge for Donny to catch up with him, but the younger turtle stopped by Leonardo and said something Raph couldn't hear. Leo responded in turn, and paid no heed to the narrowing of amber eyes glaring at him.

"Thought the point was to get there," Raphael announced loudly. "Or do you guys wanna hold a staff meeting without me first?"

"We're not having a meeting!" Leonardo shot back. "Don't you get that we're not sure where we're going yet? This is called flying by the seat of our shells. Don's trying to interpret our coordinates based on nothing but a piece of paper."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just keep moving? I mean, shell, you guys. Freight Forwarding is probably big enough, we ain't gonna miss it."

"This isn't about missing something," Donny corrected with a slightly patronizing quality. His tone made Raphael want to swat him upside the back of the head as he often did Michelangelo.

"This is about seeing what's ahead of us, and in between our goal. I want us to make it there in one piece, Raph."

The red-masked turtle snorted. "What do ya expect to see, Don, an army between here and Freight Forwarding? This place is freaking dead."

"It is _now_," Leo said fiercely. "Which is why it makes sense to take a harder look at our surroundings, and get a feel for everything. You don't know what we'll face tonight, Raph. No one does. We only want to be prepared."

"You guys are thinking too much. There's nothing to this! I'm about bored out of my mind."

"What a stupid thing to say," Leo seethed. "We're in a brand new place, with unknown threats around every corner, and you wanna act like it's no big deal. We're stuck out here, Raph, with no cover except the shadows to hide us. I sure hope it _stays_ boring, for all of our sakes."

"Yeah, _I'm_ stupid, but you're the one who's afraid to close his eyes." Raphael knew the jab went too far, but his brother didn't lunge at him like he expected.

Leonardo's wounded expression lasted for a few silent seconds, before he took off running for the next roof-line. Meanwhile, the red-masked turtle brushed off the teen's feelings.

_He started it, calling me stupid. I ain't gonna feel bad because he wants to be sensitive all the sudden._

Nevertheless, he allowed Donatello to take the middle spot between them, giving his older brother a little more space. The following two roofs went by quickly, but he found the others hesitating at the brink of the last one. A closer look at the final structure revealed the reason for their caution, in the fact that it appeared to be under construction.

"Watch your footing here," the blue-masked turtle advised. "Could be a little trickier." He made eye contact with Raphael briefly. "I hope you can stay awake for it."

Raph laughed under his breath at Leo's barb, which hadn't bothered him one bit. The obvious disrepair of the building added to the fun of scaling it, since the structure was taller than the one they currently occupied.

The red-masked turtle zeroed in on an exposed ledge before jumping, avoiding the plastic sheeting which obscured what lay underneath. The climb was slower than usual with the uncertainty of the surfaces, but the effort required still didn't feel very great.

Emerging on top of the building made Raphael snort in triumph. "Well, we scaled Everest, brainiac. What's next?"

The purple-masked turtle was already staring off into the distance with compass in one hand and unfolded map in the other. It wasn't hard to pick out more properties in the distance of the Industrial Park, but Raph immediately realized the difficulty of determining what each of them were.

The understanding sobered his building cockiness and made Raphael face his younger brother more seriously. "Do ya know which one it is, Donny?"

"I think so. If we get down from here, take a northeast course up that hill through the field, I believe it's the set of buildings bordering the Atlantic on the other end."

"How far would you say it is?" Leo asked.

"Uh...maybe four miles? It looks like a road runs through that field, and we may be better off forging our own path. It seems quiet, but we probably still wanna keep a low profile."

"Goes along with being a ninja," Leonardo agreed, and gave Raphael a hard look. "Does that sound okay to you? I mean, I don't want to act like either of us are telling you what to do."

"Why change all the sudden, Leo?" Raph scoffed. "Just go, and I'll be right behind ya." _For now._

The older turtle peered over the edge of the building for a good minute before starting to work his way down the other side. Raphael let Don go ahead of him like before, and then eased carefully over the ledge of the building himself. The surface area felt shakier than the opposite end had, and by the manner in which the younger turtle slowed down, Raphael was sure Donny noticed it too.

"Careful here, Raph," Donatello told him, as if on cue. "This doesn't feel completely stable."

"Yeah, I'm getting that too," Leo called up, from a point about a dozen feet beneath them. "I don't think the facade is entirely attached. Don't trust too much weight in one spot. Let's slow down, and be a little more-"

The blue-masked turtle didn't get a chance to finish the statement, because a portion of brick he was clinging to crumbled underneath his hand. Raphael didn't have time to do anything other than _watch_ his older brother grasp desperately for another handhold to keep from plummeting to the earth.

As it was, all Leo managed to grab was the side of a sheet of plastic covering a bank of windows. He ended up dangling from the material dangerously while struggling for a better anchor.

"Leo, grab something else!" Donny urged. "That plastic is not gonna hold you!"

Raphael saw his older brother kick against the structure, clearly searching for support in another location while still gripping the sheet for dear life.

The red-masked turtle had watched enough. He whipped around a little too fast on his own ledge, nearly losing his balance in the process of shattering a window out. He yanked the homemade grappling hook from his belt, and cast the line over the windowsill.

Raph adjusted his weight on top of the cable to make sure it wasn't going anywhere, and then hollered down to Leo. "Bro! Grab onto this thing, and I'll haul ya back up! C'mon!"

He'd tried to get the rope into the exact area in which his brother clung, but the lightweight cable ended up being off by a few feet. It had enough length to reach him; Raph had simply overshot Leo and dropped it too far to the right.

He was starting to pull it up so he could try throwing the line again, when Donny dropped a few more terrifying inches down the facade and made a grab for the cable. Raphael nearly hid his eyes from the sight of his younger brother skidding slightly on the fragile surface.

He saw small pieces break loose under the purple-masked turtle's pressure, but it didn't stop Don from catching the line, and swinging it back toward Leonardo.

"Coming at you, bro!"

The blue-masked turtle looked suddenly paralyzed in his position, hanging onto the edge of durable (but not fail safe) plastic sheeting. When the cable brushed his shell, Leo didn't even immediately reach for it.

Raphael groaned in frustration from his helpless position of guarding the anchor, wishing he could jump down and scoop up both brothers himself. "Leo, come on! Grab the line and I'll pull you up. What are you waiting for?"

When Leo lifted his head to look his direction, Raph swore he was much paler in the moonlight shining through broken clouds than he should have been. _Shell, I know he used to have an issue with heights, but he got over that. Didn't he?_

_ "_Leo, are you grabbing it, or I'm gonna have to come down and get ya?" Raph demanded. _Challenging him might be just the ticket to get his shell moving._

His older brother reached over his shoulder in slow motion and caught the cable with one hand, while holding onto sheeting with the other. After a couple more beats, he released the grip on plastic, and wrapped the other hand around the line too.

"Good!" Raphael encouraged. "Now hang on!"

He braced both legs over the windowsill for leverage and took a deep breath, then started to draw the rope back up. He saw Leonardo flail on the end of it, still searching for a foothold that didn't exist underneath the plastic he kept running into. Raphael nearly shouted at his brother not to make the job harder, when Donny called down first.

"Leo, take it easy! You won't find any support there. Let Raphael pull you up part way, and then you can find someplace for your feet when you're off the plastic, okay?"

Donatello's soothing tone had the effect of even dissipating Raphael's irritation with the situation.

"You've got this, Leo," Don told him. "Raph won't let you fall. Stay loose, don't struggle. That will make you harder to pull up. It's gonna be all right."

"Listen to the genius, bro," Raphael added, sweat emerging while he drew the cable up hand over hand, mere inches at a time.

The process was taking much longer than he wanted, and he was positive it probably scared the crap out of his brother too.

"Hang in there, Leo! I'm going as fast as I can."

"Raph!" Leonardo's call was too panicked for the red-masked turtle's stomach to handle. "Something's wrong! It doesn't feel...I need to get off this thing!"

"It's all we got, Leo! I know ya don't like it, but you gotta hold on a bit longer. Keep your eyes open for something else to grab on to."

"This entire portion is crumbling." Leonardo sounded absolutely breathless. "There's nothing to sink into!"

"But I've got you, so it'll be all right!" Raph reminded him. "Do what Donny said, and I'll get ya up here." _Eventually._

The red-masked turtle took a couple of deep breaths and exerted as much power as he could muster to continue raising the line. He didn't want to watch his brother dangle precariously, but he couldn't take his eyes off the sight.

Raphael heart nearly stopped when Don began ascending, heading for his window. Nothing on the building felt safe anymore, and he was terrified of what would happen if his younger brother fell too.

"Donny, would you watch it?!" _I don't need to worry about you on top of Leo! _

"I'm coming to help you, Raph!"

"I don't _need _help! Just try to keep him calm. You were doing good down there. Make sure he doesn't panic, and let me focus on this."

To his dismay, Don didn't appear to be listening, and was still heading toward him. When the purple-masked turtle had a stumble of his own, Raphael cursed at his brother, even as found another handhold.

"Freaking _stop_ messing around, Donny!"

"Stay where you are!" Leonardo cried. "Don, I'm okay! I'm okay- don't try to move again! This building is a death trap. Just let me get up there, and we'll both help you."

"It's not _your_ death trap, Fearless!" Raph barked.

His breath came in shallow gasps as he pulled harder, summoning every ounce of strength he possessed to save his brother. He wasn't satisfied to merely get Leo to a safer spot at that point; he wouldn't quit until the older turtle was through the window, and completely out of harm's way.

He cursed loudly when Donatello appeared beneath him, and climbed over his shoulder to get into the room. He'd been too focused on Leonardo to notice his little brother continue sneaking that direction.

Raphael groaned with the effort of hauling the blue-masked turtle, while Leo tried to catch another portion of non-crumbling facade. "Leo, would you quit-"

The word died on his lips when he heard a sharp snap, and the opposite end of the cable in Raphael's grip suddenly went slack. He made a grab for the remnants of the line, but the only thing he managed to do was watch Leo fall again, and this time disappear from sight.

* * *

***I don't own Cops. But that's probably not the most concerning thing ATM.**


	18. Real

The scream that issued from Raphael's mouth didn't feel like it came from him. There was a part of the twelve-year-old still so desperate to save his brother that he almost jumped out the window to go after him. The red-masked turtle ended up crashing to his knees instead while crying out Leo's name.

A powerful range of emotions transitioned from disbelief and panic to grief and despair in the flash of an instant. He was completely caught up in the onslaught, neither hearing nor seeing anything else until his younger brother physically shook his stockier frame.

"Raph! RAPH! Snap out of it – we have to _do_ something!"

"I lost him." The weakness with which the phrase escaped him would surely haunt Raphael for years to come. "It's my fault, it...it just snapped-"

Donatello's hands went to his shell and proceeded to push him from behind, like it was possible to move a collapsed mountain. "Raph, look!"

The red-masked turtle didn't want to return to the window or relive the last moment of watching Leonardo fall again. He wavered in the window frame for a good thirty seconds with eyes closed, unable to lift his head.

He could hear Donatello doing something in the background, but didn't pay attention to any of it. Raph tried to choke back the tears which had welled to the surface since the initial shock had worn off, and couldn't contain a low sob any longer. Leaning hard against the frame of the window, it was all he could do to keep his balance and not pitch headlong to the ground himself.

"_Raph!"_

The distant call which resounded in his ears seemed to come from another world. It only added to the horror gripping his chest and making it hard to breathe.

"Find something! ANYTHING!"

The second cry made him lift his chin from where it was bowed, rub his eyes, and finally look down. _That _was when he noticed the bulk of the plastic sheeting torn from its mooring and fluttering in the breeze. In the furthermost corner of the sheet, a green figure held on like the last leaf refusing to fall from a tree.

"HURRY!"

Leonardo's loud plea plummeted the instant joy of discovering his brother wasn't dead into the understanding that he still could be. Raphael whipped around to search for anything else that might be long enough to reach him, at the same time as a _bang _resounded from the hallway.

He bounded that direction in time to meet Donny dragging a snake-like fixture back through the door. "What the...Genius?"

"Fire hose, Raph! Throw it to him, quick! There should be enough length once its unwound!"

"Wait – _you_ pitch it to him, Donny! Where's the rest?"

The purple-masked turtle grabbed his arm to draw him into the hallway, showing Raphael the box which housed the remainder of the unit. The older turtle reached for the handle the tubing was wrapped around and nodded.

"Go, Don! Send it down to Leo, and let me know when he has it! I'll finish untangling the hose, and then I'll wind this back up!"

Don disappeared back into the room without a word, dragging the extra length of hose behind him. Raphael rapidly unwound the remnants of the fixture, fighting with tears which threatened to blind him from the feverish task.

When he came to the end of the line the turtle darted through the doorway, but saw no sign of Donatello.

"Donny!"

Raphael ran back to the window, where he once more found his younger brother clinging to the facing of the building a couple of feet away with one hand and both feet. With his free hand, Don guided the hose where it needed to go.

"Genius, get your shell up here NOW!"

"Just a minute! I have to make sure he reaches it!"

Every curse word Raph knew filled his mind while his little brother lingered outside, and then he started making up new ones. He turned from the frightening sight of Donny inching down a short ways further, to the terrifying one of his older brother on the verge of losing his life.

"Leo! Get ready!" Donny yelled down.

Raphael took that moment to make sure he'd fed every ounce of spare hose through the window, and held his breath when Don hurled the excess to the blue-masked turtle.

Donny's extra finagling ended with the hose lining up in front of Leonardo this time instead of behind, but it was still scary to watch him let go of plastic sheeting with one hand to lace fingers around the fixture. Once his other hand was around the hose too, Raphael bent further out the window.

"Donny, get up here! I'm gonna start reeling him in! You tell me when he's close! Don't take your eyes off him."

Raph wanted to watch and make sure the smaller turtle made it inside safely, but felt more compelled to get to the handle so he could give the teen some relief. He forced himself to breathe deeply while cranking the hand-grip, praying Leonardo would hold on.

He heard the light thump of Donatello's arrival inside the window and called out to him. "Is he okay? Does Leo still got it?"

"I would have told you if he didn't! Don't go too fast, Raph. Keep the hose at a steady pace, and let him find a foothold. It'll take pressure off the line."

"How far away is he, Donny?"

"Don't think about that. Just do your job, wind it up nice and easy, Raph. Keep it steady," he reminded him.

Raphael closed his eyes and breathed deeper still to control the temptation to lose it. It was either that, or drag Leonardo back inside by his mask tails. The urge still existed to pound the handle as hard as he could, but he couldn't risk breaking the fixture and losing Leonardo for a third and final time. _Don't know if he could catch that thing again, and I can't take the risk._

"Raph, we're close!" Donny told him. "Leo's got his feet under him. Not too fast, bro, not too fast!"

Slowing down went against the red-masked turtle's instincts, but he listened to his younger brother and watched as excess hose continued to build up in the hallway.

"Almost!"

Donatello's cry of triumph nearly made Raphael release the crank, but he couldn't do that until he knew his older brother was inside. A resounding shout followed by a _thud _made Raph stop twisting the grip, and straighten up to peer into the next room.

"You got him, Raph!"

Don's breathless announcement made him drop the handle and jump over piles of hosing to get out of the hallway. He laid eyes on his blue-masked brother flat on his plastron heaving for air, and rushed to get to his side.

"Bro, are ya okay? Are you hurt? Talk to me!"

"Gimme...a second," Leo requested with a gasp.

"Raph, get his other side," Don instructed, taking one of Leonardo's arms.

Together they pulled him off his plastron and braced the teen against the wall. From there, it was the purple-masked turtle who took over the probing, feeling their brother's head, shoulders, arms and legs with fingers which were already well-versed because of Splinter.

"Breathe, Leo," Donny encouraged him. "Inhale through your nose, exhale from your mouth. Remember your training."

Raphael watched the smaller turtle continue searching Leonardo for injuries, holding back even though he wanted to get hands on him too. After another minute, the teen's breath finally seemed to start regulating to a normal rhythm.

"Is that better, Leo?" Donatello asked evenly.

"Yeah," he answered softly. "I'm okay, guys."

"You sure nothing hurts?" Donny pressed.

Leo shook his head. "No. Well, I scraped off a few layers of skin, but otherwise...I'm fine."

"You're fine?" Raphael clarified. "You positive?"

The older turtle turned to meet his eyes. "I'll be all right now."

The red-masked turtle couldn't explain the sudden rage that took him, or the manner in which both hands clamped the teen's shoulders to the wall with a vehement curse.

"You freaking, stupid shellhead! What were you _thinking?"_

The brown irises staring back at him widened with shock and alarm. "I'm sorry! It was an accident-"

"You don't GET to have accidents like that!" he roared. "I'm not fitting to lose my whole family in less than a WEEK!"

"Raph!" Donny uselessly tugged on his shell, but the younger turtle may as well have been an ant crawling on his arm by then.

"You scared me to death, Leo!" he accused, shooting daggers at his brother.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Leonardo's voice finally soared.

"You have to be more careful! I can't lose you that way. I can't _stand _to lose anyone else, like we already did!"

Rage melted almost as fast as it appeared, leaving Raphael quaking, and more disturbingly, crying. "And it'd be my fault all over again. I'm sorry I lost ya, bro."

He buried his forehead against the older turtle's shoulder, at least partially obscuring the fact that he was almost sobbing. Raphael felt Leonardo shift beneath him, and the teen's arms came around his shell.

"You didn't lose me, Raph," he said in his ear. "The rope broke, at the worst possible time. But it wasn't your fault. I'm here now, and that _is _because of you."

Raphael lifted his head, but couldn't look his brother in the eye because of tears. "It was the Genius' doing. He's the one who saved ya."

"We both did, Raph," Donny volunteered. "Couldn't have done it without your help. You're a good teammate."

Raph rubbed his eyes fiercely and settled back on his haunches for another look at Leo. "Way to hang tough, Leo."

Leonardo shook his head with another shudder. "I...I about lost my mind down there. I thought I was cured of that phobia over heights, but jumping across buildings and falling from them are two _very_ different things."

"Let's just agree that you don't go falling off any more," Raphael suggested. "And if you tell the others I cried, I'll beat your shell until it's black and blue."

Leo smiled weakly. "Don't worry, Raph. No one else will believe you like me that much."

The red-masked turtle rose to his feet with a scoffing sound. "Never said I liked ya." But then he turned to offer his brother a hand up off the floor.

When the teen accepted it his countenance transformed from the shock of nearly dying, to the calm exterior Leo usually exuded. "Guys, I'd rather not touch the facade of this building again, if it's all the same to you."

Donny shook his head. "No. Let's find some stairs."

Raphael made no complaint about following his younger brother's lead back down the hallway. He wasn't ready to leave the older turtle's side yet. When they reached the emergency lights still shining in the stairwell, he realized Donatello was holding a portion of the sheared off climbing rope in his hands.

"What are you doing with that, Genius?"

"Where did you guys get it?" he asked.

"Uh...There's a Gym off 34th, they got a climbing wall. We watched some of those people try it out for like an hour from the roof that one night, remember, Leo?"

His brother's return snicker was glorious. "Yeah...a few of them weren't very good. We trash-picked the line from their dumpster. Didn't seem to be anything wrong with it. Figured someone just got a better one."

Donny hesitated on the second landing. "No, guys – look at these strands. This thing was at the end of its lifespan. You can tell by how stiff it is. That's why it broke, Raph; the cable couldn't take the pressure. Had nothing to do with you."

Raphael exchanged a glance with Leo. "I guess we shouldn't trust all the equipment we find in the trash, huh?"

"Or, you could...try running it by me?" Don encouraged gently. "I'm not bad at research, you guys. It wouldn't hurt to let me go over the logistics, and you can focus on heroics. Everyone wins."

"You have your own heroics, Donny," Leonardo filled in, his glance panning between both brothers. "Before I forget to say it again...thanks."

* * *

Leonardo didn't want to beat a dead horse by mentioning how glad he was to have both feet back on solid ground, so he didn't say anything about it. The overprotective proximity Raphael kept with him almost made him laugh, but Leo wisely contained that too.

The blue-masked turtle felt like the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees from where it'd started that evening, making him ruefully wish for more adequate layers. _Just would have been more stuff to carry. We can't afford to be weighed down...as I've already proved tonight._

The overgrown field which marked the boundary separating one side of the Industrial Park from the other seemed to have a life of its own, the way tall weeds swayed with the intermittent wind. The clouds sweeping overhead in heavier banks made it hard to see the stars. _Which is too bad, the way city lights normally block them out. But we aren't here to star-gaze either._

His senses felt alive in the new environment, on-guard for what could possibly be around every bend. Leo was content to let Donny lead their current progress with compass in hand. The thought of everything the younger turtle had been able to figure out so far made Leonardo nod approvingly at his brother's back.

Although Don missed the gesture, Raph's sudden nudge indicated he hadn't.

"Not bad to have around, is he?" the red-masked turtle whispered.

"No, not bad at all," Leo hissed in response. "I'm really glad Donny's here. Grateful for you too," he finished pointedly.

"Yeah, y' say that now," Raph retorted. "It'll wear off again."

The statement felt like it was meant to be a joke, but the wistfulness behind his brother's tone disturbed Leonardo.

"You won't wear off on me," he corrected.

Raphael chuckled under his breath. "Wait an hour, Leo, and you'll remember. You and I are like water and oil."

"That's not completely true, Raph. We cooperate all the time."

"Yeah, but lately...I don't need to explain it, do I? We don't mix."

"What do you call this?" The blue-masked turtle pointed between them. "Or what we've done in the last couple of days?"

"We've been at each other's throats more often than not."

"So we're not perfect. Whoever said we would be? The point is, we're working together. Just like you and Don worked together to save me."

Raphael sent him a cocky look. "I'll only hold it over your head for a few weeks, okay? I gotta remind ya that even _you_ need help sometimes."

His words brought the teen up short. "Sometimes?" Leonardo was bewildered, but intentionally kept his voice even. He didn't want to kick off an argument. "Since when don't I need anyone else? When did I ever say something like that?"

"It's not what you say, Leo; it's how you act. Like the way you wouldn't tell me what was eating ya this afternoon when you couldn't sleep. I wasn't tryin' to make fun of you, and you still wouldn't get real with me. I guess you gotta right to keep your secrets, but that's the kinda thing that tells me you don't want help from anyone."

"Raph, I..." the teen hesitated a moment, and then started walking again so they wouldn't end up too far behind Donny. "It's not like that. I don't hide things because think I don't need anyone. I hide this so it doesn't become someone else's problem. My burdens are mine. It's not your job, or any of our family's, to carry them."

His brother cast him an incredulous glance. "'Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.*'"

The perfect quote stunned Leo, though he tried not to show it. "You _do_ listen to lessons sometimes, huh?"

"More than you think. And I wouldn't mind listening to you mention something other than the stuff I'm doin' wrong. We sure _used_ to talk."

"Well..." Leo tried to make up a defense for why he'd grasped for more privacy over the last few months, but there was no good excuse. Admitting the truth was almost harder than making up a lie.

"I'm not perfect, Raph. I never will be, but I have to try. It's my responsibility to do things the right way, and help keep this family going. When I voice everything that makes me feel weak...I don't know. It seems to give the failings more weight. Like talking about it saps the energy I have left."

"That ain't the way it's supposed to be, bro. Talking should help. That's what Splinter would say. I don't get beating your brains out to be perfect, when y'know you can't be."

"I just...have to, Raph," he said mechanically. "It's who I am."

"Ain't who you are, Fearless. You're _you_," his brother insisted. "You're not what you do."

"What I do is part of who I am," Leonardo said dismissively, desperate to ward off a fight. "But that's not the point. You wanna know what was bothering me earlier?'

"Yeah, Leo, I do."

"I was dreaming, like...The kind that almost feels lucid, so you could control it."

"Dreaming about what?"

Leo had to take a sharp breath before admitting anything. "Sensei. A few times, it seemed as if he was talking to me. But then...there were also a dozen different scenarios where I saw them."

"You saw Sensei and Mikey? That upset you?'

"The situation upset me," he clarified. "It wasn't good, Raph. Things happened to them."

"I could tell you were bothered. Why didn't you admit it?"

"Because it wouldn't have helped. We've been missing our family for days. Now we're hopefully on the verge of getting them back, and I didn't want to put the negativity out there."

"You'd rather hold on to it and pretend nothing's wrong?'

"I think it's better for you guys if I do, Raph."

The red-masked turtle huffed loudly. "I like it more when you're straight-up, Leo."

"I thought you didn't like me at all."

"I don't." Raphael clipped the back of his shell. "And the next time you scare me that bad, I'll make you pay for it instead of crying all over ya.'

"I don't know what you're talking about, bro. I have no memory of the event."

"Yeah, Leo. Better stay that way."

Leonardo was mid-chuckle when he heard a gasp. His neck jerked toward Donny so fast that it literally hurt. "What is it? Do you see something?"

The purple-masked turtle nodded without turning around.

Leo trotted to join him close to the top of the hill they'd steadily climbed, and laid eyes on water stretching in every direction. Once he tore away from sight of the Atlantic, he took in the sprawling complex of another set of warehouses. "Is this it?"

Don pointed to a sign which wasn't glowing, but still plainly spelled out the truth in the cold hue of perimeter lights. _New York Freight Forwarding._

"Okay, so...what next?" the younger turtle asked. "Are we supposed to walk in like we own it?"

The oldest turtle frowned at the yellow crime tape he could see from a distance. "We'll have to cross the police line. We need to make sure we don't disturb anything more than necessary."

He began to take another step, when he realized Raphael wasn't behind him. "Raph? Are you coming?"

The red-masked turtle didn't say a word, but then jogged rapidly down the other side of the hill, which was steeper than the grade they'd climbed. The move irked Leo, but he said nothing while pursuing his brother to the bottom.

Raphael paused at an overgrown thicket, then wandered down another small embankment. "Guys, c'mere. Somebody left their ride out here."

Leonardo's appraising glance lingered on the beat-up four-door vehicle for few seconds, and then he turned away. "Forget it, Raph. We don't even need a car now. We _found_ the place."

His fingers lightly drew Raphael back to the path, and they came upon Donatello staring vapidly at the surrounding property.

"We're not alone," Don said tightly. "Check it out, guys."

Leo rubbed his temples anxiously at the vision of uniformed officers.

"Those don't look like rent-a-cops neither," Raph added blandly. "They're the real deal."

"They must be treating the warehouse like an active crime scene." Don sounded overwhelmed.

Leonardo felt suddenly decisive. "All right, listen. This is no different than anything we've already done. There were people at Reid's both times we broke in, and on the boat. We've been sneaking around humans every step of the way, and this is more of the same."

"It's not exactly..." Raphael was visibly uncomfortable. "I mean, we worked around those people, but these cops..."

"Are no different," the teen declared. "Are either of you tempted to walk away and forget Sensei and Mikey?"

He received a dark look from Raphael, and rapid head shake from Donny.

"I didn't think so. We move in like ninja, and no one sees or hears us. Get our family, and hit the road."

"We could try _clearing_ the road first," Raph mentioned. "Distract them cops and get 'em out of the way."

"No, Raph, I don't want the attention, and we can't hurt them. It would be dishonorable. They're only doing their job. I don't want to ruin their crime scene either. All we're gonna do is take a quick stroll inside and figure out where our family's holing up."

"There are a couple buildings," Don told him. "Where do we start?"

"I think we ought to hit the big one." Leonardo cast his gaze between Raphael and Donatello again. "You guys ready? We did the work to get here. Aren't you excited at all?"

"I'm jumping up and down on the inside," Raphael retorted.

"I'll jump up and down when we find them," Don said.

The blue-masked turtle headed straight for the chain-link fence rimming the perimeter, without an ounce of remaining hesitation. "This is it, guys. We're _not_ leaving without them."

* * *

***Ecclesiastes 4:12**


	19. Unique

The weight of Splinter's silence had bothered Michelangelo for most of the day. The only time he was able to ignore it was while he slept; otherwise, it was painfully obvious and made the young turtle feel sick to his stomach. He'd thought about an apology for hours, before finally taking the plunge.

"Sensei, I know I didn't listen, and I'm sorry. When we make it outta here, I won't be like that anymore. I won't cause this much trouble. Please don't be mad at me."

"Musuko, I am not angry with you." The surprise in Splinter's tone was confusing.

"You've barely said ten words today, Master. If you're not ticked, I dunno what else it could be."

"I have been doing a great deal of thinking and meditating, Michelangelo."

"About getting out of here?"

"About the four of _you_, my son, and the father I have been." The rat shifted against the wall into a different position, discomfort screaming in his posture.

"Is it...are you disappointed?" Mike hesitated to ask, but he needed to. "Sensei, you've been a good dad. It isn't your fault Leo and Raph fight, or that Donny tends to hide, or my...stupid mistakes, and refusing to listen. We've all got hard shells, Otosan, but you always did your best. Whatever's wrong with me and my bros, it ain't your fault."

Splinter sighed heavily, which didn't feel like a good sign to the nine-year-old already on the verge of tears. "There is nothing 'wrong' with you or your brothers, Michelangelo. There is also nothing typical about you, which makes my responsibility harder to gauge."

The orange-masked turtle had no idea what he meant, so he waited for his Sensei to go on instead of replying.

"From the moment our transformations began, the differences were clear outwardly. But as you four grew, I came to understand how unique every one of you is. None of you have any real basis for comparison, but the similarities between yourselves and human children are very few in many respects.

"I am not referring to mere anatomy, but physical, mental and emotional aspects. You are _not_ a normal nine-year-old, my son. A child of your age would be incapable of doing several of the things which you have in the last few days."

"Well...that's because you trained us, Sensei. You showed us how to do this stuff. I've got a ton more to learn, and I know I can do better. I promise I will. I don't wanna let you down."

"You have not let me down, musuko. You have confounded me."

Mike blinked rapidly while trying to discern the word. "I don't...what's that mean, Master?"

"It means I am confused. I feel a desperate urge to protect you and your brothers from every danger in this world, even as I equip you to take care of yourselves. My head says that _none _of you are ready for the challenges your life will present, and yet...I watched you dodge and fluster such threats, instead of being overwhelmed. Do you understand these are not normal abilities, Michelangelo?"

"I guess, but, Master you _taught _us. I wouldn't know how otherwise."

"I can teach you techniques and try to impart wisdom, musuko. But you and your brothers are the ones who choose what to do with them. I cannot change your heart, make you brave, or affect your instincts.

"So many of the qualities the four of you already possess, are things I did not give you. Your boldness to return to me once our charges were free, though we were outnumbered. Your older brothers' compassion, which does not allow them to ignore the plight of many in our neighborhood. Donatello's undeniable genius, which far surpasses any intelligence of my own.

"These are things I did not gift to you, nor can I teach them. They are ingrained in your young spirits, to a degree that already sets you apart. Some fools would think your physical forms are what makes you different from everyone else. But I would venture to say that your hearts are the most amazing and mystifying part of who the four of you are.

"Although I prefer to keep you hidden from everyone and everything, I have a feeling it will never turn out that way. Not completely. You were not born to dwell in darkness. There is something in each of you which is bursting to get out. I fear that the more I attempt to hide you, the greater your internal turmoil will become."

Michelangelo didn't have a clue what he was talking about. "Hiding isn't so bad, Sensei. We have you and each other. What else do we really need?"

"I can think of many things I would like to give you, Michelangelo."

"But we don't _need_ a whole lot," the turtle protested. "If we had all the food in the world right now, it still wouldn't mean nothing without the guys. I'd rather struggle and starve my whole life than lose anyone. That's what matters, isn't it?"

A paw found his shoulder. "We are not losing your brothers, and they are not losing us. I cannot tell you how much longer we will be stranded here, but I will walk out of this warehouse with new perspective, Michelangelo. I must remember that while you are all children, the extraordinary abilities you possess are not something I should discourage.

"With the right outlet, I believe that even your older brothers will not struggle to get along as much."

"But that's not your fault, Sensei. It's kinda...just who they are."

"It is not that simple, my son. Their fighting is a sign of frustration, which is often brewed by the circumstances in which we live, and the dangers we endure for only existing. The struggle they experience with each other is nothing but an indication of everything they are warring, both externally and internally.

"Many are factors they cannot combat, like a city full of humans who will not understand us. Yet they are still drawn by some invisible force to try and protect them. The demands of defending even a small corner of our neighborhood should be too much for them, but it is their joy to take it on. I have a sense that no matter what I say or do, the urge to fight for humans is always going to be stronger than the fear they _should_ possess of them. It frightens me a great deal."

"But, Sensei, my bros won't go too far. Leo and Raph, they play it cool, right?"

Splinter shook his head. "They stand on the brink of something so large, I do not wish to meditate on it. I want to pull them back, and prevent them from taking another step. But I am not certain that would be the right thing to do either.

"It is my part to raise you, and protect you four until you can stand on your own. I would rather that none of you ever had to touch the surface for any reason. I like to think I would run away, if the opportunity presented itself for all of us to leave

"Yet the more I contemplate the path your older brothers have set foot on, the more I am convinced I have no control in this. No parent should choose everything for their children. But I still strongly desire for you to be safe."

Mike nodded, wanting to provide some reassurance. He didn't understand why Splinter was telling him this, but it was better than silence. "We are safe, Sensei. Nothing's gonna happen to us."

"It already _has_, Michelangelo. I cannot go back in time to change it, or undo what has been birthed in the hearts of your brothers. I feel like I am nothing more than a bystander to a fate...that could cost more than anyone should have to pay. And there is nothing I can do about it."

The turtle felt clueless, but also shaky because of his Master's anxiety. The need to comfort his father was strong. "Leo and Raph are gonna be okay. And Donny and I don't even do that stuff, so...you've really got no reason to be scared."

"I am not certain I can control it that way, my son. I have been clearing my mind every time the fear rises, yet it often does not work..." The manner in which Splinter faltered made Mike feel like he wanted to say something else, but was nervous to.

Michelangelo scooted closer to the rat. "Why are you scared?"

"I have told you. I want to protect the four of you at any cost, but I cannot. I feel helpless to do anything which would keep your older brothers safe. While I do not want to discourage their hearts or ambition, letting them do such things feels like madness. Even as I train them daily, I cringe for what I am continuing to stir up within Leonardo and Raphael. I have no doubt now that they will chase after us."

Mike frowned in the darkness. He was tired of not knowing what his Master was talking about. It _felt_ important, but Splinter kept going on about mysterious events which were nonexistent. _That's why it's weird for him to be upset about this. Nothing has _ever_ happened, besides us being here now. But that's still my fault._

"I'm the one who sent the message, Sensei. You can't blame yourself. If anyone's at fault for them chasing us, it'd be me."

The rat leaned in so close that Michelangelo felt the brush of whiskers. "I did not mean to burden you, my son. I know my ramblings are confusing. These things have been building for weeks, and even more in the last few hours. I do not expect you to make sense of it."

"Do you think you're a bad father?"

"I would not call myself 'bad', Michelangelo. But I feel inadequate for the task before me. I fear whether or not I can fill up whatever is still lacking in the four of you – for the needed balance which has not been achieved. Regardless of the skills I can teach you, there remains immense danger which is out of my control."

"Why try to control everything?" The question felt wrong the moment it left his mouth. "Not that you're wrong for...uh..."

"I have attempted to control too much," Splinter acknowledged. "And I have often driven you and your brothers all to be your best in the same fashion, when my methods should have have been molded for you individually. I have been teaching you everything I know, and yet am very slow to bend."

Mike's fingers wrapped around the end of his robe in a familiar gesture. "You've done great, Otosan. You have to believe that."

"At this moment, I am not inclined to. I followed the urge to stay where we currently are, under the belief that your brothers are coming. I do not want to permit this, but I cannot prevent it. I have never felt more out of control or useless."

"Master, you've gotta stop," the turtle said suddenly. "It's not your fault we're here, or that bad things happened. You had nothing to do with the dumb gang, but you knocked a bunch of them into next month."

"And assured a heavier lock down of the warehouse in which we reside." Splinter groaned wearily. "The police presence is greatly increased."

"Yeah, 'cause the radio said they killed those two watchmen the cops left behind. They woulda killed the kids too, if you hadn't stopped them. And what if they'd found the guns you heard them talking about? They would have hurt even more people."

"Thugs such as those will only do so another way," Splinter grumbled. "They care for no lives except their own."

"Yeah, but you showed 'em, Sensei."

The rat's shoulders rose halfheartedly. "Part of me still cannot help feeling like I made a bad situation worse."

"Sensei, you don't get to blame yourself and not put any of the responsibility on me."

An arm wrapped around his shell with comforting warmth. "It is much easier to hold myself accountable than you, Michelangelo. It was a simple mistake, which would not have happened if the young man in question was not using such a dangerous substance."

"But you still had nothing to do with Crypts showing up."

"Whether I did or not, we are still inside this mess, musuko. I made up my mind to willingly allow your brothers to join us in it. That is going to be my burden to bear."

* * *

Leonardo felt horribly exposed, even in the dim lights which barely penetrated to the floor of the cavernous warehouse. Donatello had suggested shutting down portions of the power, but he'd been against the move. _If no one else was around, it wouldn't matter. The electricity dying wouldn't attract any of their attention. But then again, if they weren't around, the power still wouldn't be an issue._

Reaching their goal was an anticlimactic moment. Though it was where they needed to be, Leo had no clue what to do when they arrived. He could feel both brothers looking to him, but didn't want to admit that they were only wandering without him having a real direction in mind.

_This is dumb. We've got to talk about it. Don may have some revelation I haven't thought of, and Raph thinks differently than me too. Even he might have..._

Leo's brain stopped as they emerged into a vast open space, which was filled with the shadows of shipping containers, and the scent of old blood in the air. That alone wasn't a good enough reason to hesitate, except for something feeling extraordinarily _familiar. _The blue-masked turtle's heart-rate and breathing rapidly increased, despite the attempt to control his outward reaction.

"Leo?"

Donny's voice registered in his ears, but the teen was trying to get in tune with the odd sensation telling him he'd been here before.

"Bro?" Raph's hand covering his shoulder was more difficult to ignore. "What's wrong? What's that look for?'

"I'm not sure," he returned, staring at the floor. "I...I feel like I've been here."

"It does seem a little like Reid's," Don allowed. "It's bigger, but I can tell where a familiarity would exist."

"_No_." The oldest turtle barely breathed the word because of the building anxiety. "I really feel like I've been here, and that doesn't make any sense."

His brothers huddled up closer to him while Leo tried to grasp exactly what was happening to him. It was a few more seconds before the blue-masked turtle began slowly walking toward the perimeter of the room, like he was following an invisible specter.

"This is seriously weird," he said to himself.

"Yeah," Donatello agreed in the background. "Is it supposed to mean something? How could you know this place, Leo?"

"Obviously, I don't. But I can't help feeling like I've seen this, experienced it, walked through here already."

"Well, what'd you see here?" Raphael pressed.

"Fighting. Yelling. There was gunfire and...running. Do you guys smell that?"

Leo noticed Donny flinch out of the corner of his eye.

"I think I'm getting the residue of blood," he answered honestly.

"Yeah, I smell it too," Leo told him. "When I felt it before, it was stronger."

Raph shouldered in beside him. "But why did you feel it? This didn't come from nowhere."

"No, it was the lucid dreaming I told you about, Raph. It didn't all seem real at the time, but now..."

"Leo, what are you talking about?' Donny sounded annoyed and exasperated.

"It was this afternoon." He made eye contact with his red-masked brother. "I saw this place. It felt exactly the same, only it's quieter now. They were running. They were _here._"

Donatello still didn't seem to grasp what he meant. "How would you have seen it this afternoon? Did you leave while I was asleep?"

"No, Don. I think...that is, I believe Sensei reached out to me. It's not clear. I don't know if any of it was real, or if it was only in my head. But parts of it felt genuine then, and standing here at this moment...It's serious dejavu."

"What else did ya see?" Raphael sounded more serious than Leo expected.

Admitting that he'd had something which he could call a vision seemed like an invitation to be made fun of by his red-masked brother.

"Stairs," he said finally. "They were illuminated, but there wasn't a light above them."

Raph shrugged. "Let's look for some stairs."

"What are we following?" Donny wondered. "I'm not questioning you, Leo, but what does any of this mean? Did Sensei say anything to you?"

"I don't remember his voice. I got...images, and feelings. No definite order stands out in my head. I saw several different scenarios."

"What kind of scenarios?" Donatello asked.

Leonardo shuddered with the memory. "I...I'd rather not repeat them. I don't think the entire dream was influenced by Sensei. I felt like he was in there, but my mind interfered too."

"Bro, tell us something that makes sense," Raph requested.

"It would be like...someone talking to you, but another sound is detracting from it, so you can't hear properly. That's how it was."

"Then what do you wanna do?" Donny seemed doubtful, and Leo didn't even blame him. "We need to look for them anyway, and no one knows where to start. I guess there must be some stairs around here. If nothing else, tracking down steps might make you feel better."

Leonardo hated the fact that his younger brother had picked up on his current shakiness. _I'm acting stupid. They were only dreams. Nothing that happened in them is necessarily real, even if the creepy building is. Right down to the same smell._

He closed his eyes briefly and forced a deep breath. "Yeah. Let's get it out of my system, and this probably won't feel as strange."

His breath caught again upon the echo of footsteps. Leonardo backpedaled to the wall with brothers on his heels, and they ducked behind a container. For an instant his vision blurred, and the nearness of a gunshot caused the blue-masked turtle to flatten to the ground.

When he looked up, his brothers seemed unaffected. Leo sat up partially, in time to watch a man in uniform go trotting past with a flashlight. He didn't see a gun in the human's hand, but couldn't deny hearing one. The teen sent a quizzical glance to the others after the stranger vanished.

"Tell me you heard that," he pleaded.

Raphael nodded. "The guy? Yeah, Leo, but he's gone now. We gonna keep moving?"

"Not the guy. A gun. You heard it, didn't you?"

Seeing Raph and Don exchange a mute glance made Leo feel like he was losing his mind.

"You didn't hear it. Shell, what is going _on?_"

"Take it easy, Leo." Donny tried to soothe him. "You went through a pretty serious trauma less than an hour ago. It's not impossible for your mind to play tricks on you from stress."

"Didn't feel like a trick. This is the wrong time for it, regardless. We can't waste another hour hiding."

Leo got up, perfectly aware of the concerned gazes fixed on him. It was easier not to acknowledge their legitimate worry, and focus on finding a set of stairs. He wanted to go the opposite direction the officer had, but found his feet tracking toward the same hallway the man used, at a slower pace.

Don cleared his throat quietly. "Maybe we could check the other side out first?"

"Yeah, bro, I dunno if we wanna follow that guy," Raphael added.

"He won't hear us if we're quiet. Just...keep your eyes open. We already know there are move of them around."

Stumbling after the cop seemed like insanity, and Leo didn't blame his brothers for objecting. At the same time, he couldn't fight with the compulsion that inexplicably drew him that direction.

The lighting in the hallway seemed more dangerous than being out in the open, for the way brightness was concentrated in confined space. The idea than he and his brothers were perfectly visible in a spot being guarded by multiple officers of the law struck him as one of the dumbest things he'd ever done.

_Raph takes all kinds of stupid risks, and even he doesn't wanna do this. That says something. We need to turn back, find another area..._

Leonardo paused for a couple of seconds, during which he detected the quickened breathing of the others. _They're scared too. I'm scaring them. We have to move on._

Halting steps started him off again, out of the connecting hallway and into another open area stacked with crates and containers beyond number. He was distracted in collecting those details and searching for where the cop had gone, so that Donny's fingers grasping his wrist almost sent the teen into orbit.

"Is that what you saw?"

He followed Don's line of sight, fixing on a flight of stairs toward the center of the room. Laying eyes on them was both frightening and exciting, because another piece from the dream/vision proved accurate. _No. Finding the steps doesn't mean they're already dead, or that they're going to be._

Leo took a resolute step in its direction. His brothers were bunched unnecessarily near his shell, but he wasn't going to complain about it. Not seeing any sign of the cop was distressing but the teen had to let it go. _I have better things to focus on. My brothers, my dad, the entire family is counting on me. I need to quit being spooked and start acting like a ninja._

He corrected slouching posture by rolling his shoulders back, and started trotting faster toward the stairs. Leo couldn't hear his brothers behind him, but sensed their presence as if they'd announced it out loud.

"Where'd the guy go?" Raph hissed softly. "I don't like this, Leo."

"I don't either," he murmured. "But at least he's not in our way. Nothing is, except..." Leonardo stopped rigidly at the bottom of the steps. "The unknown."

"It's okay, bro," Raphael encouraged. "We're right behind ya."

"Stay alert," Leo ordered. "There's nowhere good to hide. If you see or hear anything, we've got to react fast."

The vulnerability of their position weighed on Leonardo while climbing the steps, and caused him to pick up speed without telling the others. They adjusted to keep up with him, and the change in pace resulted in more noise than he wanted. Leo cursed himself for the move, but it didn't seem like they could slow down.

Dejavu was reinforced the moment he landed on the platform at the top. For an instant, Leo was distracted by the loud wind picking up against the huge windows, whistling through the large glass surfaces above their heads.

Then his mind returned to the hallway he'd somehow been in before, and he continued the dream by walking down it. A kind of tunnel vision was created whereby he failed to notice his brothers, and kept going in a near trance to wherever his feet chose to take him. From far away, he swore one of his brothers spoke to him, but Leo couldn't tell what they said.

The appearance of a door on his left-hand side was what snapped him out of the daze, and immediately brought the teen up short. Bold lettering on the sign couldn't be mistaken; it was yet another clue he'd seen. The reminder of every other disturbing thing he'd witnessed came rushing back, so that he could do nothing more than stand frozen in front of it.


	20. Found

Donatello was feeling extremely agitated. Up to the point of actually entering the warehouse, Leonardo had behaved exactly the way he expected. Since coming inside, his blue-masked brother's reaction was the opposite of what the young turtle needed.

He wasn't convinced Leo was crazy or seeing things, but he wanted the teen to be in charge the way he normally did as easily as breathing. Don didn't like how disturbed the older turtle seemed, and it only made him want to get out of Freight Forwarding faster.

The purple-masked turtle tried the doorknob of the office when Leonardo didn't do anything, and found that it wouldn't turn.

"Want me to break it?" Raph offered predictably.

"I think maybe we should do this quieter," Donny replied, digging into a pouch on his belt. "I've got it, Raph. Been practicing for this."

"Sure ya have, Genius, in between normal training, rebuilding computers, studying astrophysics and never eating."

"I don't fixate on astrophysics," he said glibly. "Makes sense to focus on matters which affect us more, like breaking and entering and advanced first aid."

He sifted through a couple of his picks until he found the most likely fit, and went to work on the door. Raphael's proximity made the job a little harder; that and the fact that Leonardo was still frozen for some reason Donny couldn't explain.

Donatello sent a backward glance at his oldest brother, even as he felt the pin turn in the knob, and heard the click signifying it had unlocked. He slowly drew the door open with a low creak and peered inside.

There wasn't anything unusual about the dark office from first glance. Nothing drew him to continue into the space, other than the monitor on the desk. When Leo made no move, the younger turtle continued without him.

Donny stopped by the desk and reached for the mouse, discovering the monitor appeared to be dead. One glance down confirmed that the CPU was gone. _I wonder if the police took it. News mentioned some of their people inside were being looked at too._

The appearance of a shadow made the purple-masked turtle straighten up from crouching near the floor.

"What are ya doin', Donny?" Raphael asked.

"What is _he_ doing?" Don demanded under his breath, motioning to the door.

"The shell if I know, bro. Leo, would you get in here already? You're the one who wanted to find them stairs so bad. Snap out of it, huh?"

A metallic scuffle followed by a yelp of pain made Donatello whirl, and lay eyes on large grating inset in the wall behind them. Brow furrowed when _another _bang preceded something colliding with the cover so hard, it sent the grate flying back toward his legs.

Don hardly had time to avoid it before a head poked out of the cold air return and cried his name. From there, the purple-masked turtle's brain went on auto-pilot while he caught his younger brother by the arms and dragged him out of the vent.

The manner in which the smaller turtle clung to him reminded Don vaguely of a monkey, but he had absolutely no desire to release him. Tears automatically surfaced, though he couldn't force any words to come out.

"Ya big goof-" he heard Raphael start to say, only to end with a gasp. "Master! Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

Donny lifted his head from his younger brother in time to watch the red-masked turtle disintegrate in the presence of their Sensei. He still couldn't quite bring himself to let Mike go, instead drawing his brother with him to join the pair on the floor.

Something like awe filled the ten-year-old while looking back and forth between their father and Michelangelo, marveling to already have them in front of him. He pretended not to notice Raphael's tears (for the second time that evening), but couldn't prevent a relieved chuckle from escaping.

"Well, _that_ worked a little faster than I expected."

"Not fast enough for us," Splinter said dryly. "Do not tell me what you did to get here. I cannot bear to listen to it yet."

"Does that mean you ain't glad to see us?" Raphael's question came up with broad insecurity.

"No, my sons. I am extremely glad you are all right, but...where is Leonardo?"

Raph got to his feet, tugging their father with him. "Out there, Otosan. It's like he can't do anything. We ain't sure what happened..."

When Donatello met the rat's onyx eyes, his hands finally fell away from the orange-masked turtle. Being enveloped in the glorious warmth of his father's arms made him feel much closer to home, until he opened his eyes and remembered they still had a long way to go.

"You doofus." Raphael already had the youngest turtle in a headlock. "Can't believe you pulled the Turtle Titan bit." At Michelangelo's squeal, the red-masked turtle loosened his grip with a smirk.

"It _worked_, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it worked." Donatello laughed. "And it was genius, Mikey."

The youth made a face. "I'm the 'genius' who got us stuck out here.'

Raph captured the smaller turtle in another pin, drawing Mike against his plastron. "We'll have a long chat about that later, shellhead."

At Mike's follow-up cry, Splinter moved like lightning to muffle him, and gave Raphael a reproving look.

"I understand your joy, my sons, but we are not out of danger yet. Let the roughhousing wait until we are safely within our own home."

"And then I can kill 'im?" Raphael muttered, only to receive a sharp rap across the back of the head from Splinter's palm.

The older turtle winced and instantly let Mike go.

"Now. Where is your brother?" the rat continued.

"Oh! This way, Sensei," Don urged.

When he emerged into the hall, he found the blue-masked turtle standing like a statue where he'd been left. He was stretching for an explanation as for his condition when Splinter simply brushed past him to get to the teen.

"Leonardo, I am here," he called softly. "Your brother is here. Since you have come, we can finally depart."

The combination of wonder and fear in Leo's expression left Donatello confused, but he wasn't shocked when his oldest brother suddenly bowed, and grasped their father's midsection.

"It _was_ you. I thought it was, but I didn't know if it could be. Then you were both running, and there was so much blood that I couldn't tell..."

Leonardo's inane rambling had no effect on Splinter. He calmly grasped the turtle's chin in both hands and drew him to look up.

"Be still, musuko. You can take a moment to breathe. We are not safe, but we are together at last. That is the most important thing."

"I'm sorry, Sensei!" He gasped. "My head was screwed up. I watched you die. Over and over, all these different-"

Splinter's paw lightly went to his mouth. "It was not real, Leonardo. You see that now with your own eyes. We were not even injured."

"But it was you, wasn't it? You showed me this place, told me where to go. How was that real and nothing else?"

"I cannot explain the inner workings of the mind and spirit, Leonardo. Yes, I reached out, and hoped you would hear. Your part in this trial is complete. You have only to do what I say, and we will escape this place. Are we all quite ready to leave?"

Leo nodded with a tremor. When he straightened up from their Sensei, the orange-masked turtle threw himself at him. The teen caught the nine-year-old with a smile, though he couldn't muster a laugh yet. "Nice clue, Mikey."

"Did ya like that? Pretty hard to miss my message, huh? I knew you guys would get it."

"We got it all right." Leonardo gave him a tight hug before setting Michelangelo back down on his feet, and facing their Master. "Is there a better way out than where we came in on the ground?"

"If we were to go through one of the windows, I believe we stand a better chance of avoiding some of the men on the property,' Splinter suggested. "We will have a good view of them from the roof."

Donatello almost objected to the idea of Leonardo taking on another building so soon, but his blue-masked brother appeared to have re-inhabited his brain. Gone was the persistent shudder and paranoid look, replaced with his normal air of confidence.

"I agree, Sensei. We're much better off avoiding them."

"Locating a ship which can carry us home may be a more difficult task, but it does not concern me as much now," Splinter admitted, turning to include the rest of the turtles. "I am so happy to see you all. I have thought about almost nothing but the three of you in days."

Don grasped the edge of his father's sleeve on impulse. "Us too, Master. And the boat probably won't be too difficult. I have a hard copy of the itinerary of every ship sailing from this Industrial Park over the next week. Odds are, someone's going to Manhattan."

Splinter gave him an appreciative smile and a pat on the shell. "I should have expected you to come prepared. I want to know everything that happened in our absence, although it can wait for a secure moment."

"We wanna hear how you ended up here too," Raph mentioned, slugging Mike's shoulder. "Y'get bored with us or something? Needed to take off on your own adventure?"

"It wasn't an adventure," Michelangelo muttered. "More like a nightmare."

"For us too," Leo agreed, arm circling the youngest turtle's back. "We were really worried. I'm just glad you're both in one piece. Things could have ended up so much worse."

"Without your little brother, it may have," Splinter said wistfully. "He supported me at my weakest, and was also the one who managed to communicate where we were."

"So we get to say Mikey saved the day?" Raphael gave a low whistle. "Who'd have thought that?"

The orange-masked turtle's crestfallen look wasn't what Don expected to see. The way Michelangelo fed off attention, he thought his brother would bask in the glow of admiration and affection. Instead, he seemed completely subdued.

_Well, we don't know about anything they've been through. None of it matters right now, though, because we get to go home._

As if on cue, the sound of the wind picked up outside again, followed by the arrival of rain. _Of course. Knew that was coming sooner or later. We won't melt at least, but I'd better protect the itineraries from getting wet._

Donatello pulled up short in the hall and stripped off his jacket. "Hold on, guys. I need to make sure my folder stays dry, so we know where we're going. This bag isn't waterproof, and I don't wanna end up on a slow cruise to Africa.'

Michelangelo gave him a small grin. "I dunno, Donny. The jungle could be fun."

"For a couple hours, maybe. We're city turtles, bro. This is about the extent of a field trip I think we can handle." He finished wrapping the folder up in his coat, and stuffed it back into the pack.

"Will it be enough?" Leo asked. "You can have mine too."

Donny waved off the offer. "Nah, it's fine. As long as my bag isn't immersed, there should be enough protection."

"You can still have my coat." Leonardo removed his anyway. "Rain's really coming down already."

"I'm okay. Maybe we can share later after I'm cold, all right?"

Don was just pulling the bag back over his shoulders when hall lights unexpectedly brightened, illuminating the area stronger. The purple-masked turtle felt like a deer caught in headlights, and Leo seemed to stop breathing beside him.

Something told Donatello not to turn around, but the ten-year-old did so slowly, to see the face of a stunned man with drawn gun standing a couple of yards away. For an unnaturally long moment, no one moved or spoke.

It was Splinter who finally broke the spell. "Sir, we do not mean you any harm."

Donny felt an overwhelming urge to hide, but still couldn't move or take his eyes off the stranger. The shaky manner in which the officer aimed his pistol made the young turtle raise his hands.

"I understand our appearance is quite shocking," Splinter said gently, like he was speaking to a scared animal. "But we do not want to hurt you. We are only trying to leave. If you could be so kind as to step aside, we will depart at once."

The cop shook his head with a jerk. "You...what..."

"They may not look like it to your eyes, but these are children," the rat reproved. "You will not shoot an unharmed stranger who is not attacking you."

"Unarmed?" The officer kept his gun level, reaching for radio with his free hand. "I'm gonna need you to lay your weapons down, _now_."

Donny turned slightly to see his older brothers with blades drawn. "No, you guys! We have to calm him down!"

"_Shizuka_,*" Splinter ordered under his breath. (quiet) "Leonardo, Raphael, _yamete*." _(stop)

The rat slowly moved toward the man. "Let us leave peacefully. There is no need for anyone to get hurt."

"Not one more step!" Since the initial shock had peaked, the human seemed _more_ agitated and pointed his gun at Splinter. "I want you against the wall, and I'm not gonna tell you again."

"I do not want to hurt you, sir, but I am not going to allow you to harm us either. You have one more chance to allow us to pass. All that we want is to go free. We have not done anything wrong."

"Stop talking to me!"

The cop's nervous tick had Donny scared he would set off the gun with no provocation. He caught the eye of Leonardo hovering beside him, noting _his_ tense posture.

"Don't do it, Leo," he whispered. "If you tackle him, the gun could still go off."

"We have to do _something_-"

"Shut up!" the man shouted. "I don't know what the hell you are, where you came from, but I don't wanna hear another word! I want the five of you against the wall with your hands where I can see 'em!"

"You need to let us walk before you get hurt," Raph challenged. "We ain't done nothing to you, man, and we're not going to. But if you try to shoot my dad, you're not gonna like me at all."

"Position one, call for back up," the officer said to the radio on his shoulder. "Positions two and four, we have a 10-66 on the second floor, and I need you to join us. Position three-"

Splinter's tail flicked like a whip, snapping the radio right off the man's uniform. "We have done nothing," he continued calmly. "We want no trouble from your kind. We are leaving now, and you will not hinder us."

"If you move again, you're going down! No jury alive will prosecute me for taking out such screwy trespassers! You get back!"

"I am sorry to tell you we _are_ leaving," Splinter declared, ears flattening. "You will not stop us."

The minor shift of Splinter inching forward was all it took for the officer to unload two shots. Donatello's first instinct was to dive toward the ground, as useless as the action felt. He no sooner hit the floor than he immediately rolled over, seeking out his father.

He caught a glimpse of the rat wrestling with the gunman, at the same time as a response blasted over the cop's radio. With a sharp blow to the officer's wrist Splinter removed the gun, and sent it sliding across the floor. Raphael lunged over Don's head, falling on top of the pistol.

Splinter's firm grip around the cop's collar bone already ensued he wouldn't be going after his gun. Donny's heart nearly stopped while wondering what his father would do with the crazed man who'd tried to shoot them. However, the rat's grip was already loosening, and he took the human down with a mere tap behind the ear.

"My sons, go! We must flee _now!_"

The purple-masked turtle regained his feet, even as Leo grabbed his arm to make sure he got there. He looked left and right for Michelangelo, finding the nine-year-old right behind him.

"Go, go!" their father repeated. "Run!"

As much as they needed to escape, Donatello was preoccupied with checking on Splinter. "Sensei, are you okay? You weren't hit?"

It was hard to see their Master the way Raphael crowded in behind the rat.

"I took no bullets, Donatello!" Splinter called over his shoulder. "You must focus on where we will go next! Keep your eyes forward, and your attention where it needs to..."

The fact that their father didn't finish meant nothing good. A heavy sigh escaped him while he motioned for them to stop.

"On the ground!"

The entrance of another voice made Don want to punch something.

"I want no trouble," Splinter tried to start over. "My sons and I mean no harm."

The startled curse that left the man was surprising in its length. "You stay away from me!" His gun hand was steadier than his counterpart's, but no less frightening. "Taylor?" he called out loudly. "Taylor, talk to me!"

"The other officer was not truly harmed," Splinter insisted. "Though he tried to shoot me, I did nothing to him. You will find him only sleeping. I do not want to hurt you either, young man."

"You're under arrest! All of you! I want you on the ground, now!"

"We cannot do that," the rat stated evenly. "Will you try to shoot those who are not even attacking you too?"

"_Where's_ Taylor?"

"I do not know the name of the man who threatened us. We did not intend to scare him, or you. Simply let us pass," Splinter nearly pleaded. "The ones with me are only children."

"I don't know what-or who-you are. But you're not going anywhere," the cop declared, mashing his own radio. "Possible officer down. Please confirm the requested backup! I need assistance on the second floor!"

This time Splinter didn't wait. He sprang at the man's chest and pinned the officer's hand down, while forcibly separating him from the gun. 'My sons, go! Make haste and leave this place!"

Leo was behind him in a flash. "We're not losing you again, Otosan!"

The blue-masked turtle kicked the pistol off the metal walkway and grabbed their Sensei's arm. "We're all leaving!"

Donatello would have been happy to depart right then, but noticed the officer on the ground reaching for his ankle, where a backup weapon was probably located.

"_Gun!_" the purple-masked turtle cried, an instant before the firearm discharged.

Both Splinter and Leonardo flew separate directions. Raphael lunged toward the man, but had to dodge and roll because of the following three shots which were expended. Don shouted out as a bullet buried into the wall, inches from where Michelangelo had just been.

"My sons, scatter!" Splinter commanded.

Even as Donny ducked closer to the floor, he could tell his Master wasn't going for cover. It didn't appear his older brothers were listening either. That was what made him reach to retrieve his bo, with no intention of leaving family behind.

The sound of pounding feet made him whip around, to the awful sight of additional officers arriving. There were no questions on this occasion nor demands made. The shocked men approached with _rifles _drawn, and their response was to start shooting too. Now there was no direction to run, and no choice except to take down the misguided cops before they killed them all.

Donny spun on heel and somersaulted out of the immediate line of fire. Coming out of the roll he scanned desperately for family members. The report of a heavy blow in the background confirmed at least one gunman down, but the danger was far from past.

The rifle fire was more intimidating than the glocks had been, and left Donatello in fear of what was going to become of someone at any moment. In his peripheral vision he saw the railing guarding the catwalk, and considered vaulting over it.

The distance to the first floor wasn't tremendous. With the right angle, he could descend just as safely as they did off several story buildings. Drawing gunfire with him would make it even easier for the others to take down offending officers.

Decision cast, the purple-masked turtle careened across the hall, heading right for the barrier. He was a couple of feet from his goal when a rifle was leveled on his head. Don stared the man down with the most mournful expression he could muster. "I didn't do anything! None of us did!"

"That doesn't look like any costume I've ever seen. What are you _wearing?_" the man retorted.

"We just wanna go!" The ten-year-old whimpered, despite his best effort. "Please-"

The brief interlude ended with another round of rifle fire across from Donatello, which had the young turtle dropping to the ground. Then he rolled over to see the stunned gaze of a fallen officer, and noticed the blood from the round he'd taken.

"Hey!" Don shouted. "Hey, you just shot your own guy! You might have killed him!"

Even as he tried to crawl forward, more rounds were unloaded. Bullets were fired in a wide circle covering the entire hallway. The moment the rifle left him, he started reaching for the railing again, but Splinter's growl made him hesitate.

"_Stop_ shooting at my sons!"

In an instant, his Sensei was in mid-air, and the officer was raising his rifle for another shot.

"No!" Without thinking, Donatello hurled his bo like a missile, striking the man in the forehead before the rat had a chance to touch him. Then he collapsed to the ground under the immensity of the onslaught they'd survived, and intense relief for the gunfire having ceased.

Splinter cast the bo across the hall back to him. "Come, quickly! We must move now!"

A cough from the "friendly fire" victim inches away alerted Donny to the fact that he wasn't dead. He turned to face the officer, and the cylindrical object in the man's right hand struck a massive "danger" chord. When the cop went to throw it, Donatello only had a second to react.

He struck the man's wrist with his bo, knocking what he now recognized as a flash grenade loose. Don tried to kick it off the platform, only for the officer to spin over on top of it with an agonized cry. The purple-masked turtle caught the man's jacket to remove him, and sensed someone running toward his back.

"No! Grenade!" he yelled.

Splinter's arms were around his shell, dragging him backward from getting _rid _of the thing. At a flash of brilliance his position changed, and the rat was on top of him. The explosion which overtook his ears blocked out everything, except for the change of weight on his plastron.

The blast lifted him from the ground, and he no longer felt his Sensei's pressure at all. Amidst colored lights dancing before his eyes, Donny landed hard on his shell and didn't move.


	21. Hurt

Leonardo blinked rapidly from distorting vision. The initial brightness was gone, but the odd cloud left behind was still impacting his eyes. It took several moments for the turtle to realize he was on the ground, and another beat to recall the family members laid out around him.

The thirteen-year-old rubbed his eyes fiercely while sitting up. Judging from the sudden spinning sensation in his head he'd moved too fast, but he didn't care.

Leo spotted the red-masked turtle first, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found their youngest brother nestled beside him. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, I think..." Raph returned with a grimace.

"Just stay put for a minute, all right?"

Despite not knowing exactly what was going on, the end of gunfire was a good development in Leo's mind. The next thing he spotted was his purple-masked brother bunched up on the floor, in a manner that instantly concerned him. Even as he staggered toward Donny, the sight of the ten-year-old stirring with a choking cough relieved him too.

Leonardo carefully maneuvered his younger brother off his side and onto his shell, supporting his head in both hands. He found dazed chocolate-brown eyes staring up at him vacantly and winced at cuts and abrasions starting to bleed through his face.

"Leo?" Don seemed to _see_ him after a couple more seconds. "What-"

"Don't move," he instructed. "You're hurt."

"No. No, I'm fine." Donny insisted on sitting up partially.

"Have to disagree with you, bro. You're definitely bleeding."

"No, it..." Donatello paused to wipe the back of his hand against the worst gash on his cheek. "It's superficial. No big deal. I only caught ricochet from the flash-bang."

"Flash bang? Donny, quit trying to get up and let me look at you!"

Donatello sent him an irritated glance. "That cop was gonna throw a stun grenade! I saw it coming, tried to stop-" The younger turtle's eyes suddenly went wide. "_Sensei!_ Where is he?"

Leo's head jerked around at once with a curse. "I lost track of everyone in the blast. I found the guys, but-"

Don lunged to his feet, avoiding the oldest turtle's hands in the same motion. His wild gaze took in the slight damage of their surroundings, then focused on the broken remnants of the railing. "_No_."

Leonardo got a hand on his brother's shell, but it didn't stop him from bending through twisted metal, and peering at the level beneath them. The blue-masked turtle let go of Don and ducked his head for a better look too, praying for some sign of their father.

He got his wish, but it wasn't exactly what he'd hoped to find. Their Sensei's familiar form was crumpled at an unnatural angle, sprawled on top of one of the storage containers below. Leo barely had a chance to weather the shock of seeing Splinter that way, before Don careened off the platform without any warning.

"_Donny!_"

The volume of his cry echoed far too loudly in his ears, but that wasn't what currently worried him. He watched anxiously while his brother finished out the leap with a tucked somersault, landing on top of the container. Then the blue-masked turtle didn't hesitate to follow him.

Leo felt his ankles nearly give out upon hitting the shipping unit. He wasn't sure if it had to do with after-effects from the grenade or a simple mistake. His over-correction nearly knocked him off the container, but the turtle lurched to the right and managed to keep his balance.

He held his breath while going to join Donny and looking over his shoulder. Donatello had his flashlight in one hand, and was carefully probing their father's skull with the other. "Don, is he-"

"Leo, stay back! Give me some space."

Swallowing hard, Leonardo didn't quite retreat. "Donny, gimme the light. You need both hands."

Wordlessly, the purple-masked turtle extended the flashlight back to him, and returned to gently fingering the motionless rat. "Bro, how bad is it?" Containing the tremor in his voice was almost impossible. The amount of blood leaking from his forehead was disturbing enough without the memories of recent nightmares to fall back on.

"I'm not sure," he ventured. "I don't think his skull is fractured, but he's got a serious laceration. Head wounds tend to bleed a lot. He's gonna need stitches. Probably means a concussion too."

"But Sensei's okay? Don, he's got to be all right!"

At the raising of his volume, Raphael's voice floated down to them.

"What's wrong with Master Splinter?"

Leo caught the flash of two more shadows descending to the ground, and Donny grabbed his arm with surprising force.

"Don't you dare freeze up again," Donatello ordered under his breath. "If you panic, _they're_ gonna panic. So don't do it."

"I—I'm not panicking," the teen fumbled. "Will he be all right?"

Don was distracted from answering by both their brothers clamoring over to the side of the container. "Guys, don't come up! I need a little time to assess him."

"There's uh, another cop down here," Raphael announced with obvious discomfort. "Looks like he fell."

Leo glanced over the side to where his red-masked brother indicated, and his heart sank at the broken figure of the officer. "Raph, would you...um..." He struggled to tell him what needed to be done, but Raphael took mercy on him.

"I'll check," the twelve-year-old said mechanically, and headed for the stranger.

When Leonardo looked back at Donny, the purple-masked turtle was continuing his examination. "Don, what do you think?" he asked quietly.

"I'm picking up some minor injuries, no real sign of internal bleeding yet. Nothing else of concern, except..."

The oldest turtle noted the way Donny hesitated before delving into the rat's lower extremities. The fear in his younger brother's eyes then shifted to grim acceptance.

"Left leg is broken in at least three places, starting at the hip."

"Don, can you fix that? He's going to be in horrible pain. What are we supposed to _do?_" Leonardo hardly managed to keep his voice down.

"I'm not sure what I can fix. A splint will help with the pain, at least temporarily."

"Donny, I don't want to hurt him, but getting out of here has to be top priority. If we don't escape, a broken leg will be the least of his problems. I can't stand the thought of damaging him worse either, so you've got to figure this out fast. Tell me what to do, and how we can help."

"We need a splint, without question. I could probably use a few of our layers to help pad his leg, but I also need something to tie everything off. I wish we could improvise a backboard, but it would be hard to run with one."

Leo waited for his brother to continue, but he didn't. When Donny returned his full attention to their father's leg, he lightly grasped his shoulder. "We can't sit here. Those officers radioed for back up. Whatever we're going to do, it needs to happen immediately. We have limited time before this place is probably gonna be overrun, and the situation gets worse than it is now."

"It might already be close to that," Raphael offered grimly from the ground. "I...um...this cop, Leo..."

Leonardo gazed down at his shaken brother, and surmised what he was having trouble articulating. The teen jumped off the container to see the man for himself, and found Michelangelo cringing a couple of feet away.

A part of him didn't want to approach the stranger, but he needed to know for sure. The awkward angle of the officer's neck made the blue-masked turtle avoid it, and reach for his wrist instead. When he found no pulse, Leo leaned close to hear if he was breathing. There was no life left in the disturbing wide-open eyes which stared back at him.

"He's gone," Raph proclaimed. "Think the dude broke his neck."

Leo agreed with his judgment and was about to tell him so, when the sound of approaching footsteps made him jump to his feet and back away from the cop.

"Don, grab Sensei, we have to move now!"

"No – it could kill him!" Donny's unexpected reply squeaked from the roof of the shipping unit.

"_What?_" It was the wrong time and place for a sensitive medical conversation, but this couldn't wait.

"Part of the break is near his femoral artery! If it gets severed, he'll bleed out uncontrollably. We can't run until his leg is at least splinted!"

Leonardo gasped through a shuddering breath. "That would have been helpful information a couple minutes ago!"

"I didn't _know_ the extent of the fracture a couple minutes ago!" A surprising curse left the normally mild-mannered ten-year-old.

The appearance of flashlights around the corner told Leonardo what his brother had already seen.

"Guys, you have to get rid of them!" Don shot down. "I'm not kidding. If we don't do this the right way, he could die!"

Leonardo exchanged a quick glance with the others. "Pressure points. Don't hurt anyone."

"Of course not, but let 'em try and kill us," Raph grumbled, sending an anxious look to the shipping unit. "We've gotta move."

Leo heard the echo of someone's voice and the static of a radio before witnessing two figures cross into the open from the hallway. The sight of one of them with communicator in hand made it feel like a bowling ball had fallen on his stomach. The sensation was suddenly replaced by cold awareness, and instructions left his mouth without thinking about them.

"Raph, stay here. Don't let anything near Don or Sensei. Mike, I need your help to distract them. You've_ got_ to be fast. Can you draw their attention, and I'll attack from another angle?"

"Yeah, Leo," the youngest turtle readily agreed.

Raphael only grunted at the mention of _his_ task.

"Please, Raph, work with us, not against us!"

There was no chance to hear a reply. Mike was off like a shot, though he remained in plain sight where men could see him. Leonardo was irritated when only one of the two pursued him, but had to accept dealing with a single officer at a time.

The blue-masked turtle would have preferred to trade places with Raphael to make certain his Sensei was okay, but had to chase after the stranger drawing a gun on Michelangelo instead.

His mind was still being driven by instinct while he allowed the cop to "corner" Mikey so the orange-masked turtle would have no escape. In actuality, it was the officer who had nowhere to go.

"Stop where you are!" the man barked at his brother. "Put your hands on your head and face the ground! Do it, right now!"

Mike snorted in spite of the serious situation. "Nuh uh, dude. You didn't say Simon Says*."

"Simon who?" The bewildered officer glared at him.

"You know, Simon says! Didn't you go to Kindergarten? I've never been to a real school in my life, but I still-"

Leonardo interrupted his young brother's explanation with a quick palm strike to the cop's neck, which sent the officer sprawling on his face.

"Rude to interrupt, bro," Mike told him. "I was trying to teach the guy something."

Leo shook his head sharply. "No time, Mikey! We need to get the other-"

As the words left his mouth, the sound of a shattering blow made Leonardo spin back the way they'd come. The blue-masked turtle growled through gritted teeth when he saw the other officer flat on his back in front of Raphael, blood already seeping from his nose.

"I told you not to hurt him!" the teen thundered. "We're gonna make things worse-"

"Worse than one of 'em dying because of a flash grenade, and us probably being blamed for it? Knocking that idiot out don't make it worse, Leo!"

"Argue about it later!" Donatello urged. "I need supplies, quick! I'm thinking of a utility room, a janitor's closet, anything!"

"There's a utility room upstairs!" Michelangelo mentioned.

"No, we're not getting trapped up there again," Leo negated. "We'll find something, even if we have to fan out." He sharply inhaled to control the urge to panic.

"There's no time for separating!" Don returned. "I'd bet my shell the backup is coming. What do you remember about this place, Mikey?"

"Running around the first night, I might 'ave seen something about maintenance. It was down..." Mike twisted in a circle, picking over the hallways which led in different directions, and then glanced at the stairs.

"I came from that way." Michelangelo pointed east. "It musta been down there."

"Mike, are you sure?" Raphael pressed. "'Cause if you're not, we don't got much opportunity to correct it."

"I'm sure!" he snapped, much harder than usual. "You haven't been here! You don't know what Sensei and I already had to do, even last night. If I was good enough to at least get a message to you guys, can't you trust me to remember a dang _door?_"

Leonardo grasped his little brother's shoulder to calm him down. "Yes, Mike, we trust you. Show us where it is."

The orange-masked turtle still bore a sullen expression, but motioned a curt hand for them to follow him. Leo heard Donatello's anxious grunt the moment they took off, and glanced back to see his younger brother supporting their Sensei's leg partially while Raphael carried the rat.

"Donny, there's got to be a better way to do this!" he called back.

"It _has_ to be splinted, Leo. That's gonna take a few minutes, which we probably don't HAVE!"

"Don't think about it right now. How do we stop him from bleeding out? How do we know he already _isn't_?"

"I've been keeping track of the pulse around his knee. As long as it stays strong, that's a good sign the femoral artery is intact. Bracing his injury will help protect the artery too."

"Just focus on what you gotta do for him, Genius, and we'll do the rest," Raphael filled in. "Nothing's gonna get near you two."

"Raph, I'm going to need help from at least one of you for this part. Prefer you or Leo since you're stronger, and I don't know what Mike's been through already."

"Not having any problem staying ahead of you!" the turtle in question offered indignantly from the front.

"You also probably haven't been eating or sleeping enough!" Don yelled back. "Don't worry, Mike. I doubt any of us are getting out of here without a fight, so you'll have plenty more chances to prove yourself."

"It's here!" was the only reply the orange-masked turtle made that time. "Door is locked. Do we break it?"

Leonardo didn't wait for affirmation from the others; he kicked the door directly at the handle, sending remnants of shattered wood tumbling to the ground. The blue-masked turtle ducked inside to find the light, then got out of the way for his brothers. There wasn't enough room for all of them in the closet, so Leo stood back nervously while Donatello took quick stock of their surroundings.

"Okay, I need both the broom and mop for their handles, but they need to be pared down somewhat. Raph, can you break me manageable pieces? First one has to be longer than the other two. I'm going to need everyone's clothes, or maybe..."

Don trailed off, rummaging through a plastic bin on the nearest shelf. He came up with a handful of rags. "These ought to work for padding. Shouldn't have to sacrifice all the clothing, unless I can't find anything else to bind the splint."

"Bind it, like you need to tie something up?" Mike asked.

"Exactly, the splint needs support-"

"How about these, Donny?" Michelangelo produced a box from his bag. "Picked 'em up for you the other night."

Leonardo stared at the open box of plastic pieces curiously, and was startled by Donatello's enthusiastic reaction.

"That's _perfect,_ Mikey! You're the best! Zip-ties will do the trick, but we have to be careful not to pull them too tight." Donny paused to direct Raph with Splinter. "Put him down here, and you've got to work on those handles for me. First one needs to reach from his armpit, down just past his heel. The second piece has to bridge between the inside of his groin, to the end of his foot."

"And the third one?"

"It only needs to be long enough to strap the other pieces together under his foot. Do you see how we can get two parts from the broom handle, as long as you break it in the right spot?"

"Yeah, Donny, I got ya. I'll get on this."

Leonardo watched with growing nerves while Donatello fingered their Sensei's scalp again. "Is it worse than you thought?" he made himself ask.

"No, I don't think so. I wanted another look under the brighter light. I told you head wounds bleed quite a bit. I'll use the opportunity to get this bound up too."

The blue-masked turtle nodded stoically. "What if he ends up needing blood? What will we do?"

"Ideally, we can't let it go that far," he replied honestly. "His best chance for making it is getting that leg properly braced."

Leonardo sensed Michelangelo edging closer to him, and automatically cast an arm around his shell. "You've done great, Mike, and you're not alone anymore. We're gonna figure this all out. Hang in there a little longer, and we'll be moving soon."

The orange-masked turtle sniffed. "I'm the reason this happened. If he's not okay, it's all my fault."

At his smaller brother's tremor, Leo gripped him tighter. "Sensei said you were there for him, Mike. I know you haven't had time to share any stories, but-"

Michelangelo held up a hand to stop him. "Forget it. I'll tell you the whole thing later. Donny, what can we do?"

"There's really only room for Raph and I. Watch and listen outside. Be paranoid for me, so I can focus on this."

"I've got it, Don," the nine-year-old piped up.

"There is one other thing you could help me with," Don realized. "Attach a bunch of those zip-ties together. We need some that will be wide enough to encompass his leg, and a few with enough length to cross Sensei's torso."

Leonardo was grateful for the task too, and settled down with his youngest brother on the floor to begin zipping the ends of ties together.

"Raph, we need to stretch his leg out, carefully," Donatello explained. "This part will help make sure pieces of broken bone don't rub against each other, and hopefully prevent us from nicking the artery en route. After we get traction set under his foot, we can start to apply the splint. I'm gonna need you to hold on to Sensei's heel, and keep his leg straight for me."

"What if I hurt him, Donny?"

"If we do this correctly, he'll be in _less_ pain. Take your time and ease it down, Raph. You're fine."

The red-masked turtle mumbled something unrepeatable about the task, but Leo knew he was only scared about messing up.

"You're all right, Raph," Leonardo encouraged him. "You've got this."

"I ain't got nothing, Fearless. I feel like I'm about to break what's left of him. Why don't you come over here and do this?"

"Raph, please cooperate," Don requested. He paused his work with the first handle to probe Splinter's knee again. "Good pulse. I'll be checking this periodically, bro. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong."

"I'm not the gentle one of the bunch, Don. You need to use someone else. I'll knock together as many heads as I have to, but this part scares the crap outta me."

"Scares me too," Donny replied. "Doesn't mean we quit."

The red-masked turtle shook his head violently. "Why did it have to be Sensei?'

"He was protecting me,' Donatello admitted quietly. "He put himself in the path of the flash-bang, to keep me safe."

Leonardo squinted for another look of Donny's face. "Eventually, we have to clean you up."

"Leo, I'm fine. Not even dizzy. The abnormalities from the stun grenade didn't last, because they aren't supposed to. They're not technically lethal—"

"Tell that to the guy with the broken neck, or our dad," Raphael interjected.

"Yeah, I know, Raph. Stun grenades can still hurt people, but they aren't designed to." He lifted his hand from Splinter's knee. "I'll get started, and you keep him steady, bro."

"I'm trying, Genius. How the shell do you know so much?"

"I read, Raph."

"Bull," he countered. "How'd you learn everything this fast?"

"I've been studying advanced first aid for almost two years, even since Sensei and I first started dropping in to the library. Started out by having to print material a little bit at a time, but now, I can copy things to a disk."

"Why? What's the disk do?"

"This is why I wanted the computer up and running," Donatello explained patiently. "I can't access the internet from home yet. But I can download information from the library, copy it to a disk there, and use it from my own CPU. I've been breaking chapters down and piecing together sections for my medical journal."

"Your what?" The teen cocked his head curiously.

"My journal, Leo," he repeated. "It contains all the information Splinter has been teaching me to this point in regards to herbs, along with what I've been garnering from the internet for months. I'm trying to build up a medical history too."

"Yeah, you know when you guys think he's just fooling around?" Mike cut in. "That's when he's writing the book on savin' all of our lives."

"I wouldn't go that far yet," Donny told him.

"You _better_ be going that far," Raph retorted. "Donny, tell me you can help Sensei."

"I can't make you any promises. I'll do my best, but..." Donatello strangely faltered, and Leonardo thought he was getting emotional.

Then Leo noticed their father's chest rise with a deeper breath, and realized what Don already had. Onyx eyes fluttered, but only opened part way. It was followed by low moan of pain that ripped the blue-masked turtle's heart out.

Donny shifted up front at once, gathering their Sensei's chin in his hands. "Don't move, Otosan. Don't. Move. You need to let us do this."

Another gasp left the rat while he lifted his head slightly.

"Please, Sensei, stay still," Don urged.

Among Splinter's struggle to breathe normally and the obvious pain he was in, Leo also saw his mouth moving, trying to speak.

"Don, work on his leg," Leo ordered, and climbed carefully over them to reach the rat's head. The cramped, small spot was uncomfortable, but he didn't care. "Shh. Sensei, we've got you, but you need to relax. Donny's doing everything he can."

"They..." Splinter forced out.

"We're all here, Otosan. Everyone is okay."

"Police," he pronounced under duress.

Leo nodded bleakly. "They found us, Master, but we'll get out before we're cut off again."

"I hear-" he wheezed with the difficulty of delivering the word. "Sirens. Police...are..._here_."

* * *

***It's irrelevant to their current dilemma, but I don't own Simon Says.**


	22. Station

Splinter's words hit Michelangelo like a physical blow. He staggered backward from the force of it, simultaneously sick to his stomach and trembling. The blood rushing to his head sounded like a powerful waterfall, and blocked out everything else that was happening.

It took a sharp exclamation from Leonardo to make it past the white noise plugging his ears. "Otosan,_ no!"_

The orange-masked turtle blinked twice at his fierce tone. He'd never heard his oldest brother (or anyone really) take such a commanding stance against their father.

"You don't understand how badly you're hurt," the teen went on, a little more gently. "You've got to stay completely still and let Donny finish what he's doing. This is your life we're talking about!"

"It is also _your_ lives!" The statement left Splinter without much volume, but his fierceness almost matched Leonardo's. Almost.

"Don, how much time?" the blue-masked turtle asked, like their dad hadn't said anything.

"Ten to fifteen minutes, minimum," Donny answered tightly. "I'm sure we don't have that long before they're inside."

"No, probably not," Leo agreed, taking a deep breath. "Should have let you take down the power before we came in. At least we'd have some cover now."

"Still could," the red-masked turtle declared. "Let's do it now!"

Leonardo stuck his head into the hallway, searching rapidly right and left. "It wouldn't be hard to find a circuit breaker, but we need to do more than turn it off. It won't help if they're able to restore power quickly."

"We could hit the power station like Genius wanted to in the beginning," Raphael suggested. "Do enough damage, and ain't nobody getting it back up any time soon."

"Not you, Raph," Leo negated. "We can't all go, because Master Splinter isn't ready to move yet. I need you to stay and help Don. You've also got to protect them if necessary, with as little physical force as possible."

The twelve-year-old growled in response. "Shell, I know you don't wanna hurt anyone, Fearless. Do ya really think it'll work out that way?"

"You've got me, Raph, but we _can't_ expend a lot of force against police officers. These aren't gang bangers or street thugs. They've pledged their lives to protect people!"

"Like the guys who already tried to kill us multiple times?"

"There's no time for arguing. I'm going to head for the power station, and I'll come back as fast as I can." Leo bleakly eyed the door he'd destroyed in breaking it down, clearly regretting it now. "You're not going to be able to keep anyone else out in the meantime.

"You ain't going alone," Raph objected. "I'm not letting ya."

"I'll go too," Mike volunteered. He was eager to move, just for the chance to spend anxious energy. The offer did nothing to comfort his his red-masked brother.

"Both of you aren't disappearing-"

When the teen got into Raphael's face, Michelangelo thought they were about to fight.

Instead, Leo's voice actually lowered. "Raph, this isn't the last step for escaping. It's the first. We're not going to disappear. Everyone will get out together, or we won't make it period. There's no time for debating the issue with you. Mike and I will go, and we should be back when you two are finished with Otosan."

"But why do you gotta take the pipsqueak?"

Leonardo backed away from the doorframe. "We'll get it done." He nodded to Michelangelo an instant before he took off running.

The orange-masked turtle caught up within a couple strides, despite Leo's longer legs.

"Have you seen a back door, or any quieter ways out?" Leo asked once he was keeping pace with him.

"We didn't look for one really," Mike admitted. "All Sensei and I did was hide mostly, except for when he was butt-kicking Crypts last night."

"The gang was here _last night_?"

"Yeah, Leo, and they killed the two watchmen the cops left behind on the property. Woulda murdered some others too, but-"

Leonardo's loud groan gave him no chance to finish. "No wonder the police came out with guns blazing. They've got to expect more of the same."

"What are we gonna do? We've gotta get away, bro!"

"We will." The teen sounded so certain, Michelangelo immediately believed him. "First though, we need some cover to make it easier to bypass the cops. That's why we have to get to the power station without being seen. If we can do that, then-"

Leo veered unexpectedly, and Mike swerved to keep on his shell.

"What are we doing?" he repeated.

"The grounds will be crawling with cops before the building is overwhelmed. My gut says if we take to the roof, we'll get closer to the power station without being seen in the process."

"Thought you didn't wanna get trapped upstairs."

"We're not stopping," he insisted. "C'mon, Mike. We can do this!"

Whether the nine-year-old agreed or not, there was no choice except to follow him.

Emerging from the juncture into the open brought them back to the same cursed staircase Mike was so tired of facing. His brother didn't notice the irritation, heading straight for the steps.

Leo took stairs two at a time. Mike's breathing automatically quickened while he trailed his brother, not because of physical exertion, but the knowledge of a looming threat he couldn't do anything about.

"Any thoughts on a window?" Leonardo asked at the top. "Did you two consider using one?"

"Yup. But by then, Splinter didn't wanna abandon ship, because he knew you guys were coming."

The glance the blue-masked turtle returned with was guilty. "Of course you had the chance to escape. You never really needed us at all."

"Leo, what are you talking about? I think it's pretty obvious that we need you, especially me! I've done nothing but screw up in days."

The teen hooked an arm through his suddenly, and drew him forward. "Sorry, Mike, but you need to save your breath. We've both got to concentrate on what we have to do."

Mike nodded with a swallow, pointing his brother to the same utility room in which he'd first taken refuge with Splinter. Arriving at the window frame caused the young turtle to shrink backwards with a gasp.

The blue-masked turtle shouldered past him and stared down grimly at the police cars which had already overtaken the parking lot.

"Leo, how do we get past them?" Michelangelo's voice soared. "There's gonna be way too many guns!"

He shook his head. "Don't think about it yet – we can't. Get through one task, and we'll move on to the next."

"Yeah, but how?"

"Power station, Mikey," he reminded him.

Leonardo reached for the locks and twisted them open. Then he ducked through the window into the rain, crouched low to the roof, and motioned for Mike to follow him. "Take it slow. This is gonna be a little slick, and I can't afford to take any more nosedives."

Mike was confused by the odd statement. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you later, or someone else will. We need to work our way around the building and find the station."

Michelangelo tried to ignore the mass of flashing lights while they made the short jaunt, but caught himself still trembling. _Maybe Leo and I could distract 'em or something, give the guys time to get Sensei out? But there's so many of them!_

He sent the cars another fearful glance, and almost ran into his brother's shell.

"Careful, Mike," he said over his shoulder. "Can't afford any mistakes. We slip from here, and they'll see us for sure."

The orange-masked turtle crawled up beside his brother on all fours, digging fingers into the course roof tiles. "I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal; I just don't want you to fall."

"No!" Mike whispered forcefully. "For this! I got us stuck out here and called the news people. If I hadn't-"

"If you hadn't, those Crypts would be armed to the teeth, and several more tons of drugs would be flooding the streets. We also never would have found you."

"Sounds better than this." Michelangelo moaned.

Leo shifted back into motion, but also sent him another sidelong glance. "What would you want, if you were us? Would you rather be home, wondering day and night if we were dead or alive?"

"I'd rather everyone was okay, instead of being sucked into the crap-fest."

"That's how you feel now, not how we did. Put yourselves in our shoes, Mikey."

"I can't. We've never worn any."

Leonardo sent him a wry smile, and Michelangelo almost grinned too, before returning to somber reality.

"We're not gonna make it out of here. There's no way. Even if we somehow survive, we'll end up on some scientist's table."

"Quit," Leo ordered. "You don't need to curse us. Hold up for a minute."

The teen cautiously slid down to the edge of the roof, and peered over the side. "I see it. If we come down from here, the station is only about twenty yards to the east. The way the roof curves, the drop is less from this location. I think we ought to get off."

Mike joined his brother, but gave him a double-take when Leo grimaced. "Is there something wrong? Besides the millions of cops about to storm the castle?"

"No, nothing," he answered quickly. "I've done this a thousand times. Let's go."

Leonardo dropped over the ledge without another word, and the nine-year-old jumped from the roof behind him. He couldn't tell where Leo ended up mid-flight, so he was shocked to land almost on top of him. Mike corrected his descent with a squeal at the last second, flipping and rolling to the left of him.

"Way to stay on my shell," his brother teased.

"I was testing your reflexes, Leo. You woulda failed if I didn't move."

"Wouldn't have been the first time tonight."

Leonardo hugged the side of the building, flattening against the structure. "Stay super quiet now."

Michelangelo blended in beside him, inching along the wall and inwardly pretending he was invisible. He could see the power station in the distance too, but still didn't know the plan for when they got there. "Are we just gonna break stuff, or what?"

"I'll figure it out when we get there. The goal is not to electrocute myself in the process."

Mike cringed at the thought of electricity mixing with water. _Dang. Why can't Donny be in two places at once?_

Colored lights reflected off the windows they silently passed, adding yet another element to freak out the nine-year-old. They were nearly on top of their goal when the feedback of a loudspeaker assaulted the orange-masked turtle's ears.

_"This is the NYPD. We have the building surrounded..."_

Michelangelo caught his breath with a sharp gasp. "Leo, we're screwed."

"No, we're not. Keep moving, Mikey."

Soon they were ducking between pieces of equipment the youth couldn't identify, and he was fairly sure Leonardo didn't know what they did either. Still, his brother was obviously looking for something.

"Don mentioned an electrical panel earlier. He said it would probably be locked."

Mike was so paranoid that he wasn't looking for a box of any kind; he was waiting for humans to swoop down on them like birds of prey from the sky. He stiffened again at the sound of a distant bark. "Dogs. They have dogs!"

"Bro, stop panicking. It won't help."

"We're never getting away."

Leo stopped and turned around to face him. "We're gonna keep going, until every option is used up. End of story."

Michelangelo massaged temples with both hands, closing his eyes tight for a long moment. "What would a wet turtle smell like to them anyway? Those dogs have to be trained to look for human bad guys or drugs."

"Exactly, Mikey," the teen encouraged. "You're faster than them anyway. A dog couldn't catch you if they tried."

The youth managed a smile, even as he resisted the repeated urge to shudder. _I don't wanna test the theory._

He turned to the right and laid eyes on the decal of a lightning bolt. Mike curiously ran fingers over the jutting compartment, and leaned closer to study a padlock. "Leo, this might be what you're looking for!"

Michelangelo tried hard to ignore the additional speech delivered over the loud speaker while his brother hurried to him. "It says...De-Energize unit prior to servicing. What the shell's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, but stand back."

Leonardo drew a katana the moment Mike stepped out of the way. The blade flashed in an arc, and the nine-year-old chuckled when the lock was left in pieces in the ground.

"Dude, you're better than a can opener."

Leo's eyes ridges rose. "Respect the weapons."

"Always do, bro."

Leonardo swung the panel open and stared at switches within like he was lost. "Uh..."

"Just hit it, Leo. The thing won't come back from your katana."

"It's dangerous. They lock this thing up for a reason, Mike. What did Donny say he would do?"

Mike looked over his shoulder like Donatello was there to ask. He'd watched his purple-masked brother mess around in fuse boxes before, but seeing it this way made it feel like a giant puzzle.

Leonardo's hand hovered over the largest switch. "I bet...if I turn it up the whole way, it'll overload." He glanced up at the rain pelting everything around them. "And the conditions will probably only help our case."

The blue-masked turtle winced while flipping the lever into the red zone, and then ran his fingers rapidly over smaller switches to turn them up too. "I hope their insurance is good."

Mike grimaced too. "You think it'll cost a lot to fix?"

"I don't know. Rather not think about it," Leo admitted, letting the door swing open the rest of the way to expose the panel to the elements. "We need to get back inside, quick."

"But nothing's happened yet."

"It will. And it'll probably be better if we're not around when it does."

Michelangelo obediently trailed behind him when Leonardo backed up against the building, searching for the nearest window. The young turtle wasn't expecting him to hesitate, and lower straight to the ground.

"Leo," he half-whined. "I wanna get-"

The teen reached back to snag his wrist, probably because he couldn't reach his mouth. It got Mike's attention, in any case, silencing him seconds before a couple figures charged around the corner.

"...doesn't look anything like yesterday," one of them proclaimed, angry.

Michelangelo inched closer to Leo, trying to appear as small as possible.

"No, this seems worse," the second returned grimly. "Last night we lost Conway and Brookes. So far this evening, we've had no contact with seven of the nine patrolmen left on the property. How is that better?"

Mike ground his teeth in frustration, wishing the men would leave. _This is bogus. That first cop flipped and caused everything else, like a bunch of dominoes falling down. Sensei had no choice except to take him out, only for all his buddies to assume we're the bad guys. And we still have to feel guilty for hurting anyone on top of it!_

He anxiously glanced at the building. _Raph and Don are waiting for us to get back. They won't go anywhere until Leo and I make it there. These morons have to move on, so we can too!_

"It's too freaking quiet," the original officer observed. "Rather it stay that way, but here I am, waiting for the other shoe-"

A flash of sparks in the background made Mike duck his head to the ground. A moment later, he felt his brother's arms gathering him closer to his plastron protectively. When he looked up through sheeting rain, Michelangelo saw the glow of flames licking around the power box and instantly gasped.

His noise didn't matter, because the cops were fully distracted by the situation at hand, and already calling for assistance. The moment they were occupied, Leo yanked the smaller turtle to his feet, and half dragged him the direction they'd been heading.

Once Mike was running on his own, he tapped Leonardo's back. "Nice plan, bro. Way to get those guys off our shells."

"I didn't mean to start a fire, Mikey! That wasn't supposed to happen."

The orange-masked turtle looked back, shrugging at the small cloud forming over the power station. "They can call for help. How'd you know it would blow up?"

"I just told you – I didn't. You won't mention this part to anyone, right?"

"You don't want me to tell the family you set the station on fire? It'll still accomplish the goal." Michelangelo waved his arms to indicate the sudden lack of electricity in the building. "Even if they get the fire out, I bet you melted some important stuff."

"Don't tell the others," Leo replied dangerously.

"You know how hard it is for me to keep a secret, bro?"

The older turtle groaned. "Can you at least keep your mouth shut until we're out of here?"

"No promises, Leo." Michelangelo flashed an authentic grin that time, and recognized in a flash how much he'd missed his family.

Leonardo stretched for a window slightly over his head. The teen pressed against glass experimentally, then drove the hilt of his blade to shatter it. He carefully broke out some remaining pieces, and then pointed for Mike to go inside first.

The youth scrambled up over the frame, and stepped aside so his brother could enter. He felt slightly enthused by Leo's small success, but a larger part of him was still dearly worried about their Sensei, and how they were going to escape the mess.

_It'd be easier if the cops _were_ bad guys. Then we could just take them down a couple at a time...unless a bunch caught us at once. And started shooting like crazy people again. Chances of getting away from that without someone being hurt or worse...they're not good._

Leo's hand falling on his shoulder startled Mike, and made the nine-year-old spin. "C'mon, bro. We have to hurry!"

Michelangelo nodded and stayed close to his brother when Leonardo swept out of the room. The current darkness made him feel better than the former lights, but he also wasn't positive Leo knew where they were going.

"You know what you're doing?" he asked to make sure.

"Not...completely. Mike, does anything seem familiar to you?"

Michelangelo's brow furrowed while he looked both directions in the hall, searching for something he'd seen before. "Uh...well...not in this particular section. But if we get back in the open, I bet I can figure out where we are. I know I can."

Leonardo hooked an arm through his again. "Which way do you wanna try? I'm thinking to the left. You feel any different?"

"No, Leo, it's cool with me. When I know where we are, I'm gonna tell ya."

Leonardo gave a firm nod.

Both turtles picked up speed once more to get down the corridor, racing past doors at a pace that left Mike's head spinning. It wasn't from the difficulty of keeping up with his brother, which honestly wasn't hard. An anxious feeling had already been building in his gut, and it was becoming impossible to fight.

Michelangelo wanted to attribute it to paranoia, but had a deeper sense that something was wrong. As they crossed the junction of another hall, he heard a raised voice which sounded a little familiar.

"No, I'm _not_ seeing things! There's something freaking weird in here!"

Mike stiffened, but had no desire to stop because of the stranger this time. His impulse was to speed up, and find the speaker. He didn't say a word to his brother, but Leo's switch to a faster dash indicated his agreement.

The rapid strides they took across the open space and into the corridor on the other side made the man appear much faster than the youth anticipated.

"I'm not crazy! Telling you, something attacked us in here, and it wasn't natural!" the figure practically yelled into a radio. "I don't know where the thing went, but I found something else-,"

Michelangelo held his breath when Leo went flying, colliding with the officer before he could utter another sound. The cop's head bounced off the floor, and he feared what his brother might do in his haste.

It only took a beat for Leonardo to pull himself back and pinch behind the man's ear to send him off more peacefully.

When the orange-masked turtle broke away from the unconscious man, he noticed splinters of wood on the floor, and spun to find himself in front of the maintenance closet. With a cry he ran toward the shattered door and found a flashlight on the ground, partially illuminating their father's motionless form.

But no matter how many times he blinked, Mike saw no sign of Raphael or Donatello.


	23. Crazy

Michelangelo cursed. He didn't mean to, but it was the only reaction which felt appropriate for discovering their injured father _alone_. Narrow slits of onyx eyes opened wider to glare at him. Nonplussed, the young turtle crashed to the floor at his Sensei's side.

"Otosan! Are you okay? Where are Raph and Don?!"

An expression of complete confusion washed over the rat's face. "Where? They were...here."

"Now they're not," Mike insisted. "Master, you've gotta remember, okay? Where did they go?"

"Where did who..." Leonardo trailed off as he glanced into the closet and caught his breath. "No. This can't be happening..."

Michelangelo rapidly backed up to make room for his brother.

"Where are they, Otosan?" the blue-masked turtle pleaded. "How could they leave? Did someone else get Raph and Donny?"

All the barrage of questions succeeded in doing was alarming Splinter. The rat immediately tried to rise, so that Leo had to clamp down on his arms to keep him pinned.

"No, Sensei," he said, calming his tone. "I'm sorry, but you still can't get up. We'll find them. I need you to tell me everything you remember."

"I do not...Leonardo, they were..." Within moments, it was clear he was incapable of elaborating.

Mike bit his lip to prevent another curse from rising, but it still repeated in his mind at least five times. _Just when I think we've hit the bottom, something else proves me wrong. _He was half-tempted to run from the closet screaming his brother's names, until they finally appeared to shut him up.

The backward glance Leo sent him communicated the near panic he didn't want to let their father see. "Mike, I'm going to have to look for them, but-"

A muffled thud interrupted whatever the teen was going to say, causing Leo to rise with a curse of his own. He bowed his head toward Splinter at once. "_Sumimasen*, _Sensei." (I'm sorry)

Another bang caused Leonardo to finish rising from his crouch and draw both katana.

"Leo, what is that?" Mike barely whispered.

"I don't know," he stated obviously. "But it came from over here." Leonardo stared at the shelving lining the back of the closet, and probed the surface beneath. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would it..."

Leo paused to rap his hand against the wall for no apparent reason. Mike started to follow him, but hesitated when Splinter tried to sit up on his elbows.

"No, Otosan. Stay put," he told him, trying to imitate Leonardo's authoritative tone.

A louder blow echoed in response to Leo's tap, making Michelangelo whirl toward the back wall again. "What's happening?"

Leonardo shook his head, shoulders trembling in the faint beam of Mike's flashlight. "It doesn't feel...solid. I'm not sure..."

Mike watched his brother bend down, and pry one of his blades into the seam of the wall underneath the bottom shelf. The following barrage was so violent, Leo jerked backward.

Michelangelo stepped directly over their father, granting him an apologetic look. "Please don't try to move again, Master."

"Are you go—ing...?"

"We won't leave you, Otosan. Well, Leo might have to-" Mike gasped when he saw the wall of shelves _shift, _and Leonardo peered beyond into the darkness within.

"Don'tshutit, don'tshutit, don'tshutit!"

The teen was instantly bowled over by a familiar bulkier shadow.

"Back up!" Donny's voice was more muffled, but carried shrilly through the tiny space. "Back _up,_ guys – let me out!"

Michelangelo released a huge breath while backpedaling out of the closet, giving Leonardo somewhere to go as well. Their exit gave their brothers room to stumble from _wherever_ they'd just been. The murderous glance Leo directed toward them made Mike want to turn off the flashlight entirely.

"What the _shell_, you guys? How could you disappear with-"

Don threw himself at their father's feet without giving Leo time to finish. "Otosan, I'm so sorry. The door is weighted, and it shut behind me! We couldn't even find the seam in the dark."

"I tried!" Raphael cried. "I woulda found it eventually."

The purple-masked turtle seemed guilt-stricken, whereas his red-masked brother looked like he was still in a panic. Leo was irritated-Mike could tell-but the anger in his eyes dissipated while he examined Raphael's bleeding knuckles.

"Dang, Raph..."

"I was trying to get us out!" he nearly shouted. "Ya think I planned to get stuck in there?"

"No more than Leo planned to set a fire," Mike offered impishly.

Donny's head jerked up in a flash. "You did what?"

"I didn't do anything...which currently affects us," Leo finished uneasily.

"Burning the warehouse down wasn't the cover anyone had in mind!" Don retorted, half-frantic.

"It's not burning!" the teen insisted. "It was just the box, and the cops are dealing with it. Hopefully it will keep them occupied for a little while so...you're welcome."

Michelangelo switched his gaze to Raphael, expecting his brother to somehow flame Leonardo. Instead the red-masked turtle stared at the ground, seemingly unaware he was still holding out bleeding hands by way of defending himself. The tips of his fingers appeared raw, but the gashes in his knuckles looked worse.

"Leo," Don spoke up. "Wrap Raph's hands for me. Then we gotta figure out where we're going."

"Would you mind telling me where you just _were?"_ Leonardo sounded bewildered more than angry now.

"Got pissed when you left," Raph muttered. "Especially when you took too freaking long."

"He pitched a sai," Donny explained matter-of-factly, pointing over his shoulder. "Buried right in the seam of...what turned out to be a door."

"Where does it go?" Mike couldn't stand the suspense any longer. "A super _secret_ closet?"

"Ain't no closet." Raphael sounded winded to the orange-masked turtle. "Looked more like a...bunker or something."

"But it was hidden!" Mike was drawn to the opposite wall as by a magnetic force.

The red-masked turtle blinked rapidly and seemed to come back to life at his approach. "Stay outta there, Mikey! You don't wanna be trapped in the dark either."

"What if it's a secret passage?" The nine-year-old's excitement grew. "Maybe there's another way out!"

Raph jerked barely wrapped hands away from Leo. "You're going to get your dumb shell stuck, and I'm gonna have to go save ya!"

"Then come with me," Mike challenged, not bothering to remind him that _they'd_ gotten stuck first.

"You know what? That's a great idea." Donny tried to match Mike's enthusiasm, which was highly suspicious. "Why don't you guys look around a little, see if there's anything down there we might be able to use?"

Michelangelo didn't mind his purple-masked brother trying to get rid of him, because he wanted to go anyway. "C'mon, Raphy. We can face the big, bad basement together."

His brother glared at him. "Be happy to stick your shell down there."

"Did it scare you that much?"

Leo got in between them as Raphael swore, and dropped another flashlight in the red-masked turtle's hand. "Go protect your little brother."

Raph glowered at the older turtle, but yanked the light away from him. He grumbled darkly under his breath while leading the way through the door, down a set of rickety stairs.

"Fricking stupid. We should be running."

"Why did Donny just get rid of us?" Mike asked.

"'Cause he still needs to do a couple things for Sensei. He never finished, because we were stuck!"

"How did you get stuck, Raph?"

"Shut up. That's how."

Michelangelo hardly contained a snicker while following him down, but caught himself looking back at the door. Leo was standing guard like a watchful centurion, so he felt free to explore further.

Mike was a little impressed by the volume of tubs and crates within the space. "What kinda stuff do you keep in an underground bunker?"

"Nobody cares," Raph answered dully. "Donny was tired of your mouth, so he sent you away."

"He's not tired of me. Don just got me back. He's totally tired of you!"

"You wear somebody out in five seconds, Mikey, and y' managed to get me banished with ya. You want to poke through this crap, be my guest. I ain't touching nothing."

Mike smiled secretively, picking up the rare, anxious note in his brother's tone. "Yeah, it's probably better not to. I bet there are a few families of spiders down here."

The red-masked turtle froze in the center of the room. "Don't touch anything. Can you handle that for five minutes?"

"Mm...no," he replied honestly, overturning the lid of the nearest crate.

Mike cocked his head at the lumpy bags within, and lifted one to find it leaking a black, powdery substance.

"Quit touching crap!" Raph demanded.

"Don't wanna."

The texture of the powder fascinated Michelangelo, and he made the hole in the bag bigger to fit his hand inside. He loved the smooth coolness, and even the way it tinted his skin black. Mike chuckled softly while turning his darker hand into a puppet and making it "talk" to the other.

"'I'm scary, and I live in the dark.' 'Well, I'm big and green. I live in the dark too, but I'm freaked out by all the creepy-crawlers I can't see!"

Biting his lip, the nine-year-old turned toward his red-masked brother. "Raph, get your flashlight. You have to see what I found!"

"I don't gotta see nothing."

"C'mon, bro! It's cool beyond belief."

"You wouldn't know something cool if it slapped you upside the shell."

"Then I'll bring it to you."

Mike concealed his darker hand while approaching him, waiting until the last minute to bend fingers into a shape meant to mimic a spider's legs. Black hand lunged toward his brother with sudden speed, achieving the half cry/scream he'd been dying for. When Raphael leaped backwards, he couldn't resist chasing him, wiggling fingers in all their charcoal glory.

His brother's startled state of mind only lasted a second longer before amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "C'mere, numbskull. You come here!"

Michelangelo whipped away from him, staying _just_ out of reach in a maneuver which was meant to give Raphael hope for catching him, and thereby chase that much harder.

The wonderful game lasted all of thirty seconds, before Mike collided with a crate so hard that he flipped over the box, spilling contents on the floor. He saw the shadow of his bigger brother descending, but was more distressed by the lethal-looking weapons he'd landed beside.

His cry made Raphael hesitate for a beat, but then he shook his head. "Nuh uh, Mike. You ain't getting off by fake crying."

The orange-masked turtle scrambled up on all fours, crab-walking backwards to get away from the guns.

That was when Raph took a closer look at the floor and swore loudly. "Where'd those come from?"

"Box-the box," was the only thing he could reply, jerking to his feet.

Raphael pointed his light at another tote in the same group of crates, and shifted the lid to look inside. "There's more," he murmured, then fingering the one beside it. "Mikey, what the shell?"

"Crypts," he whispered. "It's the weapons they were looking for. Enough to start an armory, that's what the other dude said! We gotta get out of here."

"Bro, they're guns, not bombs. They ain't gonna bite ya. _I'm_ about to beat your shell, but not some stupid-"

Michelangelo couldn't tell why Raphael stopped, until he glanced over his shoulder and found the door shut.

"Nooooooo!" Raphael's cry echoed the entire way he dashed across the bunker, with Mike right on his heels.

Leonardo spun at their arrival. "Hold on!" he ordered.

"What are you doing?" the red-masked turtle demanded.

"Point the flashlight for me," Leo requested, and went back to work with his katana. Within seconds, he had the door open again. "Yeah, it works, Donny. I'm coming to get Sensei."

"Leo, let me help with the stairs." Don's voice drifted back to them.

The teen sent another glance to Raph and Mike. "Out of the way, you two. We're bringing Master Splinter down and shutting the door."

Mike was confused by the development, but stepped aside and waited while his other two brothers carried their father into the space.

"What are we doing?" Raph asked earnestly. "We're gonna get trapped down here. Even if we can get the door back open, those cops are about to overwhelm this place!"

"We can't prevent that," Leo returned bluntly. "We have to form a plan, and need a little time to do it. Hiding here will hopefully get us one."

"Hiding won't help nothing, Leo! We gotta run while we can," Raphael nearly pleaded.

"I want out as much as you do," he assured him, and glanced down at their Sensei. "Otosan, can you hear me okay?"

Onyx eyes opened, but didn't focus on the teen.

"Master, do you hear me?" Leo tried again.

When Splinter didn't answer, Don dropped on his other side.

"He's probably going into shock. I don't know if we'll be _able_ to stay here."

Michelangelo brow furrowed while he gazed down at their father, and snapped his fingers over his face to see if he could force _any_ reaction. Leo snatched his hand away with annoyance, only to hold onto his wrist with an unrelenting grip.

"Mike, what did you do?" His oldest brother stared baffled at his blackened limb.

The youth almost laughed. "I had some fun with Raphy." He stretched out fingers to pantomime another spider, and the red-masked turtle whacked the back of his head.

"Is that what set you off screaming?" Leo asked causally.

"I wasn't scared!" Raph defended. "He startled me, and I almost kicked his shell for it. Until we found the guns."

Leonardo jarred at his words. "You found weapons?"

"The armory those Crypts were harboring," Mike offered. "I bet it's all here."

The teen reached to capture his wrist a second time, an odd expression reflecting in his eyes. "Was there more of this stuff, Mikey? Where'd you get it?"

The orange-masked turtle nodded eagerly. "Yeah. It was over...here."

Mike took his brother directly to the tote, and showed him the badly leaking bag. "I don't know what it is, but it feels cool."

Donatello's sudden appearance on his left almost made Mike jump. "It looks like activated charcoal."

Leonardo didn't say anything right away, but rummaged through the box a little longer. "It's harmless, right? Splinter has used this stuff before."

"It has several medically sound purposes," Donny agreed. "Wonder if the Crypts had some vested interest in it too."

Mike found himself watching Leo instead of Don, waiting for his oldest brother to speak. When the probing look on his face deepened without Leonardo explaining, he nudged the teen's shoulder. "What's going on, Leo?"

With a slight head-shake, the teen backed up toward Splinter. "Everyone sit down. Sit down for a minute."

"Fearless, we don't have time-" Raphael began to explode, but Leonardo's folded arms were somehow more commanding this his tangent.

"Sit. Down."

Raphael obeyed with a huff, grasping sai in both hands. "So talk, Leo! You got anything useful in that head of yours? We could sure use it right now."

Leonardo motioned for them to huddle up closer, until they'd formed a circle around their father. "Our options are limited. Reasoning with the police won't work. Sensei couldn't rationally address a couple of them, let alone the hoards that are coming."

Mike swallowed hard. So far, his brother wasn't inspiring much confidence.

"We won't be able to bargain with them," Leo continued. "Chances are, few of the cops would be willing to negotiate with a creature they don't understand. Seriously hurting or killing them would also be wrong."

"Would you get over it, Leo?" Raph snapped. "I'm sick of this. They tried to kill us over and over again! Don't we have a right to defend ourselves? To fight back? It's the only way we're getting out of here alive!"

Leo shook his head while grasping the red-masked turtle's shoulder. "No, Raph. Even if we made it out, that would destroy us. Because deep down, those men aren't evil. They're protectors like us, but they don't understand what's happening."

"Not understanding don't give 'em the right to shoot anyone!" Raphael snarled.

"No, it's not a right," Leo agreed. "It's an excuse, a reason for their actions. Still, I don't have it in me to kill them. I know you don't either."

"You're wrong," the twelve-year-old's voice faltered. "I'll kill a hundred guys if they're trying to murder us."

"That's not our way, Raph. It would wreck you."

The red-masked turtle's frustrated shout assaulted Mike's ears, and made the youth wince. "Then what are we supposed to do, Leo? Sit here until they go away, while our dad's getting worse? Those men could find their way down here accidentally, or the guy who owns the place might tell 'em about the door. How are we supposed to make it out of this?"

Leo leaned in closer like he had a secret for all of them. "We have to scare the hell out of them."

Mike exchanged a glance with his other brothers, not understanding what Leonardo meant.

"Not knowing what we are isn't good enough," Leo went on. "The first men were confused, but they still tried to kill us. We need them to think we're something else entirely."

Donny didn't seem to get what he meant either. "What are we supposed to be? Beating those men would scare them, but none of us want to do that."

Raph's snort suggested otherwise, but Leonardo silenced him with another look, and grabbed Mike's wrist again.

"We're gonna play on a common fear of humanity. What's something many people are universally scared of? Even if they don't believe in it, they would still run away screaming if evidence presented itself?"

Mike glanced down at his own hand. "Do you wanna spook them? Like some kind of monster movie?"

"I'm thinking more along the lines of a supernatural thriller." Leonardo's sudden smirk gave Michelangelo a spark of hope he hadn't felt in several minutes.

"But what are we trying to be?" Don persisted. "How do we convince them we're something else?"

"We don't have to convince them of what we are. All we have to do is put on the right show, and their own fear and paranoia will take care of the rest. We can do this," Leo finished with a small sense of awe, as if realizing it for himself. "We can," he reiterated stronger. "But we've got to commit 100%. There's no room for self doubt or hesitating. This could be our chance. It will be, if we're bold enough to go out there and fool them all."

"How?" Raphael's voice cracked. "How do we do this, Leo? How do we know they'll be convinced by some ghost or demon bit? What if they just open fire like before?"

"We don't know," Leo admitted. "But I have a feeling fear is the best tool in our arsenal."

The teen got to his feet resolutely, glancing between each brother in turn. "We can pull off amazing feats and tricks. We can convince these people that we're not of this world, and that's exactly what we have to do. But it won't be successful unless you believe it too. I can't do this without you, guys, so you have to work with me. Will you do it? For Sensei? For this family?"

Mike leaped to his feet with the fury of a thousand goosebumps. "A bunch of regular kids couldn't do it. But _we _can. Sensei said so."

"What did Sensei say?" Raphael asked.

"That we're not normal. We can do things other people can't." Mike bounced slightly as a smile came over him. "And Leo's right. We can trick 'em."

Donatello rubbed his temples wearily, but then shrugged. "It's not what any reasonable person would do, but I guess that's a good thing? Because the cops won't expect it either. They're walking in anticipating gang bangers with guns, not...phantoms in the dark. In a weird way, this could actually _work_."

"You guys are nuts," Raph asserted. "All of ya. Things are way too serious to go out there playing, pretending to be some scary ghost."

"We can't pretend, Raph," Leo told him. "We have to literally scare them, and possibly scar them from searching dark warehouses for the rest of their lives."

"You really think we can do this?" Raphael still sounded doubtful.

A grunt from Splinter prevented Leo from responding that time. Everyone sank back into a crouch closer to the ground, watching for more signs of life from their father.

"Otosan?" Donny called. "Master, what is it?"

The rat was trying to take a deeper breath. "I want...to sit up."

"I don't think you should-" the purple-masked turtle negated.

"_Now!_" he proclaimed, with all the limited force his body could expel.

Donatello edged behind him, slowly easing his back off the ground. Splinter's breath hitched, but then he faced them solemnly. Mike felt like he was trying to gear up for a speech, but in the end, he merely fixed on the blue-masked turtle and said one word.

"Follow."

Leonardo bowed his head in deference. "_A__rigatou gozaimasu*, _Sensei. We're not going to let you down." (thank you very much)

Then the teen looked back at his brothers. "We need the charcoal powder. Might end up using all of it. This will go faster if we focus on covering one person at a time."

"Except for my face," Don mentioned. "Shouldn't get it in open wounds. I bet I could find something else to conceal it."

Leo nodded. "We have to get to work. Raph, you're in, right?"

That was when Michelangelo realized his older brother had never officially agreed.

The red-masked turtle growled softly, but then offered Leonardo a fist. "If you're going crazy, I guess I gotta go with ya."

Leo bumped his wrapped knuckles gratefully. "All right then. Who wants to go first?"


	24. Attack

Donatello shook off a tremor from his precarious perch looking down on the first level. He wasn't happy about donning crimson nylon which had probably been used as a mask by a filthy Crypt for some other disturbing purpose, but it was better than using charcoal on his face.

He couldn't see Raphael from where they were currently waiting. His big brother was handling their father alone for the moment, which left the rest of them to pull off the biggest ruse of their young lives.

"You guys okay?" Leo asked.

Don glanced the teen's direction warily. "Not really. I'm gonna do my best though."

"Donny, do you remember what it felt like, jumping off that building to go after those kidnappers?"

"Wait – he did what, when?" Michelangelo barely kept his voice down.

"I'll tell you later," the ten-year-old said under his breath. "Yeah, I remember, Leo, but this is a hundred times bigger."

"You said you didn't think you'd be able to stand up for someone the way Raphael and I do. But when the time came, it was like breathing, wasn't it?"

Donny nodded. "Still feels different."

"It is different. We've got a lot more to lose. But that doesn't change what you know how to do, or the instincts that guide you. Don't...think about this too hard. I realize it might be difficult. Going forward just follow my lead to start with, and then I'm positive you'll lay down your own equally frightening act."

Donatello had his doubts, but wasn't going to admit it.

"Mikey, don't go too over the top," Leo warned. "It wouldn't hurt to throw in a few of your shrill screams though."

"Oh!" Donny instantly knew what the oldest turtle meant. "The one where he sounds like a dying velociraptor."

"Are we really trying to attract that much attention?" Mike asked seriously.

Leonardo nodded gravely. "We have to keep the focus on us, so Raph can sneak through with Splinter, at least until he and Don switch off. Truth be told, the closer proximity we keep with the cops, the less likely they'll all be to open fire. They would be at risk for hurting more of their own people that way."

"Which they already did," Don muttered darkly, then cringed at his own bitterness.

"We have to keep track of each other," Leonardo went on. "If I lose one of you, _I'm_ going to scream, and I want you to do the same. You can do this too, Don. You just have to commit."

"I can't sound like Mikey."

"You don't need to – find your own variation. We're gonna pull tricks in tandem and separately. We've got to keep moving, and make a point of disappearing. I know this freaks everyone out, but I think it's the best shot we have. Hands in."

Donatello hesitated a couple seconds to study his brothers. Covered in charcoal powder and devoid of their normal masks, it would have been difficult to tell the other turtles apart if he didn't already know them. He had to admit that the dark effect was a little spooky, even to him. Then he realized that they were waiting for his hand to join theirs.

"Take a deep breath," the teen encouraged. "Remember to control your violence. Don't forget who these people are. Try not to hurt anyone, but if it comes down to it...don't them shoot us either. We're all in together?"

Mike nodded and Don released a sharp breath.

"In," Donatello acknowledged.

"Then it's showtime. I want you two to stay right on me and keep a tight formation in the beginning. Then we can break off, and come back together as necessary. Remember to vocalize, and help each of us orient on where you are. Donny, you finished taping together your matches for smokebombs?"

"They're good to go. I won't kick them off until after Raph and I switch. In the meantime, I'll try to scream my head off convincingly."

His younger brother punched his shoulder. "Channel the ring-wraiths*, bro."

"Ring what?" Leo was clueless to the reference.

"I'll explain that later too," Don assured him. Strangely enough, Mike's referral to to the ghostly villains of one of his favorite book series made the charade feel a little more possible. "Lead the way, Leo. We're right behind you."

When Leonardo launched from the second story banister, Donatello was only a beat behind him. He started out by looking for where Mike landed, before deciding to keep his eyes on his oldest brother. His heart-rate increased with the mere thought of dropping into reach of unpredictable, armed officers of the law.

Donny chose to throw away fear in that moment, and ignored the goosebumps which accompanied spinning toward the ground in a tight somersault. He opened out of the flip to land on top of a storage container without making a sound. He didn't hear anything from his brothers either. The meager emergency lights penetrating from the ceiling above them barely illuminated their shadowy outlines.

The sudden cross between a wail and a howl which his oldest brother unleashed was bound to get attention, even if their shadows didn't. Donny was immediately impressed by the sound which reminded him of something from another planet, and not the desperate teenager making it.

The reaction from the ground was instantaneous, as the nearest huddle of officers cast their lights in the direction of container roofs. Out of the corner of his eye Don saw Leo avoiding beams and consciously did the same, dodging down a row of shipping units from one straight to another.

Somewhere off to the right he heard Michelangelo's patented dinosaur screech, and picked up a louder murmur from the individuals on the ground. Instead of retreating this time Donny moved toward the cops, wanting to hear what the men were saying. His instinct was to duck and remain hidden, but the entire _objective_ was to be noticed.

Throwing caution to the wind he dashed in the direction of the closest group, sucking in oxygen before answering his brothers with a shriek of his own. By fixing on the figures he approached, he was able to see the uncertainty men already harbored.

_Nope. This isn't what they were expecting._

Donatello wanted to keep a little distance, but also intimidate the strangers into making a retreat of their own. Leo's follow up cry distracted the ten-year-old from his own plan, and centered him on what his brother was doing. By the time he managed to pick out the teen's rapid advance, he was also able to discern Mike on his other side.

Donny squinted when Leo went down, plummeting straight to the ground. He almost panicked, right before Mike vaulted off the oldest turtle's shell, and Leonardo helped launch him high through the air. It was extremely hard not to chuckle when his youngest brother descended upon a pack of police officers.

The instant scattering effect of panicked figures made Donatello clamp a hand over his mouth to contain laughter, and then remember he was supposed to be doing the same thing.

With no further hesitation he lunged off his shipping container, sweeping up behind the cops as silent as a whisper. Their attention was already diverted by Michelangelo, so that they missed his arrival even easier. Not until three of them nearly backed into the ninja did Don take a deep breath and repeat his own unholy yell. The manner in which _every_ man jumped forced the turtle to bite his lip to remain serious.

The flash of one pulling a pistol was all it took to bring Donatello back to Earth, and he reacted just as fast. There was no thought process between drawing his bo and connecting with the gun, landing a hit that sent the weapon flying.

The second the gun was loose, Leo's scream alerted Donny to his brother's new position. He turned in time to see a katana barely glint in the limited light, before the hilt rammed the wrist of someone else trying to raise a weapon on him.

Don almost laughed at the sight before recalling again that he was supposed to be _scaring_ people. He took two bold steps toward flabbergasted men, filling his lungs with air for another loud cry. When two more guns came out Donny turned his bo against all three of the cops crowding toward him, sweeping their legs out from under them in a motion so rapid, he was positive they didn't see it coming.

The second they stumbled a shadow he recognized as his younger brother came in behind them, landing on one man's back after another. Don saw him reaching for pressure points and dove to reach the third, catching him under the jaw. He got to see the wide-eyed terror of his "victim" a moment before the man collapsed, senseless.

He felt guilty for a beat, before remembering the way they'd been shot at without any provocation. _We're not killing them, _Don told himself fiercely. _Not even really hurting them. We've got no choice._

Michelangelo chuckled under his breath while hooking an arm through Donny's to make him pick up speed again. "Getting a feel for it now, eh, Don? Let me hear your best Nazgul*."

"I'm saving it for _them_, Mikey."

"Well, there's plenty more where they came from." Mike motioned ahead of them, to where Leonardo was engaging in a game of chase and keep away.

The oldest turtle was alternating between pursuing men, and then disappearing with another leap seconds later. From his sharp intake of air, Don could tell his younger brother was about to scream.

"Wait," Donny urged softly. "Don't let them know you're coming. Hold on until the last moment, and we can do it together."

The faint grin Mike sent indicated the amusement he couldn't dare release yet. Donny held his own peace while they ran up behind four officers, who were trying to figure out where Leo had gone yet again. The ten-year-old nodded at Michelangelo, counting down with fingers to release a simultaneous war cry.

The sound reverberated loudly by their compounded unison, and Donatello heard more than one shocked gasp from the group. An undignified screech came from another cop when he accidentally ran into Leonardo, who was blocking men from the other side.

The teen tripped the first cop who tried to dodge around him, but did nothing to stop him from scrambling to his feet. A low growl pulsed in Leonardo's throat for the three remaining in the semi-circle, who still appeared dumbstruck by the situation.

When another weapon was drawn Leo angled both katana toward him, but used his foot to block his gun arm. The pistol flew so far as a result of the blow, Donny couldn't even determine where it was. The officer who'd lost his gun shook like a leaf, but didn't move. That was the moment the oldest turtle chose to leap over his shoulder, and project a roar at the other two who were still staring on.

Without a spoken word, the pair turned and fled. The cop Leo had accosted appeared paralyzed with fear, until the ninja sent him a glare and slashed both katana through the air in a deadly but beautiful display. That was what sent the figure running for dear life, leaving the three turtles suddenly alone.

"Not bad," Leo commented, sheathing his blades. "One section cleared, but we have to move on."

"You guys are gonna lose your voices before we get out." Raphael scoffed from a few feet away.

"No, not before," Donny returned, determined. "Maybe after."

"We gotta go, either way," Leonardo added. "Raph, stay out of the light. Otosan, are you okay?"

Don moved toward his older brother to hear the answer better. The rat's pain was obvious from the way he didn't reply, and Donatello crouched down when Raphael carefully lowered him to the ground. The ten-year-old's finger delicately alighted across a sensitive spot on his father's temple.

"I could...relieve some of this for you, Sensei. What do you think?"

Splinter's eyes oriented on him briefly, blinking laboriously.

"Do you understand what I'm offering, Otosan?"

The rat nodded once, but Raphael was still clutching their father so hard, Don had to squeeze under one of his arms.

"Let me get to him, bro."

"You gonna knock him out? Ya sure it's safe?"

"It's not designed to hurt him," Donny replied patiently. "And I think he wants me to."

"But that means we're really alone." Mike's sudden whimper from behind them surprised Donatello.

Leo's arm was around the smaller turtle before Don could say anything. "You're not alone, Mikey, even if you started out that way. We're here now, so trust us."

Donny bent over their father. "Master, do _you_ trust us?"

Splinter's nod was almost imperceptible that time, but it was all the signal Don needed to carefully free him from his agony.

"Why didn't ya do that before if you were gonna anyway?" Raph demanded.

"Because I was afraid."

"Then why risk hurting him worse _now_?"

Donatello almost folded under the accusation, but then stood up straight. "I was afraid to lose his voice, Raph. It was pure selfishness. I did it now because that's what he wanted, and it's gonna be more helpful in the short-term."

The snap of Leo's fingers felt like they echoed loudly in Donny's ears, although the action didn't seem forceful. "Raph, get back into hiding. We have incoming, and the rest of us need to be ready."

Raphael huffed a curse before vanishing, and Don grimaced. _Sensei will be okay. He didn't need to keep suffering, for what? Moral support?_

The ten-year-old whirled around a storage container for cover, and waited for the next bogeys to present themselves.

"I didn't want to lose his voice either."

Don had a hard time containing his shock when Leo was unexpectedly beside him.

"Somehow, I felt safer knowing I could try to ask him something, even if he probably couldn't answer me," Leonardo told him.

"We need Sensei," Don replied softly. "But right this second, we need you. We _have_ to get out of here."

His brother nodded. "It's time to make some progress. That will mean more close contact with humans than you'll ever be comfortable with. Are you ready?"

"No," he said, resigned. "But yeah. Let's go."

"We can still have some fun with it, Donny. Work with me here."

The fast-approaching hoard of men was larger than the last; Donny counted at least a dozen before his brother yanked his shoulder to get him moving.

"Going into tricks," Leo hissed, linking his arm stronger. "Using each other's momentum, flow seamlessly from one move to the next. Butterfly kick."

Moments after the encouragement Leonardo provided the first lift, with which Donatello combined his own launch power for the maneuver. Spinning off one leg he threw his body perpendicular for the kick, while never letting go of Leo's hand.

When he landed his brother took off in a continuation of the motion, that had never felt as fluid or dynamic in training as it did right then. Adrenaline surged as Leo threw him into another butterfly, and Donny briefly closed his eyes to combat the effect of dizziness.

Coming in for another perfect landing sent ripple's of excitement through the ten-year-old, and made him want to try more tricks like it. Michelangelo's signature scream sounded across from them, and Don swore it almost morphed into laughter. He loosed his own cry to cover up in case his younger brother actually lost it, shifting under a pair of hands which ended up gliding over his shell.

Then Donatello backed up directly into the man with a growl and a menacing face, despite knowing the cop couldn't see his expression under nylon. The officer tried to get an arm around his neck, but the turtle shrugged off his hands by twisting into him a second time, sending the human off balance.

When the man fell on his backside, two sprang up to replace him, each trying to get a hand on his opposing arms. Donny did a back-flip despite their wrenching pressure, easily breaking the hold of their fingers. He flipped backwards several more times, until he ended in the middle of three guys who'd been converging on Mike.

On a whim he drew his bo, spinning the weapon in a wide arc that intentionally missed targets by mere inches, while loosing a loud shriek. Don rotated from the complicated spin toward Michelangelo, and held out the weapon for his younger brother to grasp.

The technique hadn't been successfully achieved in practice yet, but in the heat of the moment he threw all of his confidence on Mike. Michelangelo didn't disappoint him, whipping both legs into the air while Donatello whirled him around so the younger turtle could perform the elusive split kick neither of them had ever executed flawlessly.

Mike didn't connect with anyone on either of the two passes they made, pulling back at the last second so that the men simply felt like he would. When the younger turtle switched up his grip on the bo, Donny knew it was his turn.

Don whirled in another tight circle with his brother to build more of the needed momentum, and leaped from the ground with a cry that was more ninjutsu than Nazgul. He had mere seconds to see a gun and switch his strategy, landing a powerful kick to his attacker's wrist.

The ten-year-old _hoped_ he hadn't broken it, as he hadn't committed as much force as possible. A somewhat frantic version of Leonardo's howl distracted him from the chance that he'd honestly hurt someone, to the realization that more people were surging in.

There wasn't time to break off or deal with smaller groups; the officers weren't going to stand idly by while they faced or scared off a few men at a time. Donatello caught his little brother by the arm to make sure he was following, and they both took a bounding leap over the heads of men separating them from Leo.

Donny wanted to know where Raph was, and that Splinter was all right. He was suddenly dying for a single clue that neither of them were in harm's way. He wasn't supposed to see Raphael from among the pack of cops, but for a few split seconds, he sincerely wished he could.

He and Michelangelo had nearly caught up with their oldest brother, when Leo threw himself forward in a complex series of front flips and kicks that bordered on attacking anything within his sweeping path, while not running into a single person. Out of the last aerial somersault he drew both katana, angling them upward to catch what little light filtered down.

Don mimicked the idea he'd executed, creating a roadway right through oncoming men without touching them, but also forcing them to backpedal. He was positive he didn't look anywhere near as impressive as his brother, but his bo staff still sang through the air like an extension of his arm. It felt incredible. The success of forcing men to retreat without literally doing anything to them was empowering.

He heard a soft scuffle to the right, and glanced over to see Michelangelo sail over the heads of five more cops. One of the men flailed both hands toward the youth, clipping a knee hard enough to send him sprawling. Even as two officers lunged after the rolling turtle, another was aiming a gun toward him.

Donny spun his bo to dispatch the threat, and the motion was interrupted by movement behind him. He tried to ignore it and complete the maneuver to defend his younger brother, but the sudden nearness of a gun at the back of his head made him hesitate longer than he could probably afford.

* * *

***The Nazgul/Ring Wraiths are the property of Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien. If you don't know him, I am afraid I can't help you. :)**


	25. Disappear

When Raphael's screech entered the fray, it sounded nothing like his brothers'. His cry was simultaneously deeper, and what he imagined as blood-curdling. Also, he didn't have to work up to it. The scream automatically expelled when he lunged into the pack of officers trying to surround the ten-year-old turtle.

_Not_ attacking the men as hard as he could was one of the most difficult things Raph had ever done. His instinct was to destroy anyone for threatening his family, but current actions felt more like teasing the strangers. The one exception to the rule was the cop holding a gun far too close to Donatello's head. That man would have a headache to remember him by, but still be lucky enough to breathe for another day.

Raphael felt no guilt for the dragon punch he sent to the gunman's jaw. Though he wanted to finish what he'd started, he merely bared his teeth with a growl and performed a tornado kick to force the other men to back up. If the cops were too stupid to retreat from the maneuver, they _deserved_ to be pummeled, police or not.

The twelve-year-old heard a swish behind him, caught the deft movement of the younger turtle's bo staff out of the corner of his eye, and couldn't resist shooting a look over his shoulder. He admired the rapid spins Donny used to force men to retreat further, before Raphael pressed his shell against his brother's.

"Don, we're probably gettin' close, don't ya think?" he suggested quietly, not wanting anyone else to accidentally hear them.

"Leo said he would signal me," Donny hissed in return. "Where's Sensei?"

"Shipping container on the far right, I27. I didn't wanna leave him-"

"Replacing my shell didn't give you much choice. Are you gonna be able to get him fast enough after Leo gives me the go-ahead?"

"Yeah, bro, it'll be nothing. Disappear and wait for Fearless. Try to keep an eye on that shipping container too!"

"Among everything else," Donatello muttered.

A distinct _crack _drew Raphael to look over his shoulder again, just in time to glimpse a man staggering and dropping his gun. Don hadn't applied tremendous force; the lack of visible blood was proof. He saw his brother depart through the opening the young turtle had created, appearing like nothing more than a shadow melding back into darkness.

Raphael screeched again at the remaining men in the circle, transforming into a whirlwind to demand their attention, and give his brother time to get away cleanly. He spun half a dozen times, never once striking someone, though he sensed a couple of passes were narrow.

Out of the last whirl he drew both sai, and adopted a sadistic smile he hoped the policemen could see. He abandoned a rapid twirl of his favored weapons for the privilege of turning sai slowly, giving all the men a chance to look at them. Their frozen posture made him want to smirk harder.

He heard a series of grunts behind him, but didn't have to turn around to recognize the addition of his youngest brother's absurd cry. Michelangelo's scream didn't indicate danger, but more of the intimidation tactics which were designed to scare people off, so they wouldn't have to hurt them as badly.

The next noise Raphael picked up sounded more like a chuckle, but quickly morphed into a shrill bellow which was coming right toward him. The twelve-year-old instantly whipped around to meet Mike and caught him by the wrists, then waited for his brother to grip his hands in return before swinging him around.

"Put a lid on it," Raph warned through gritted teeth.

"Totally under control!"

"Don't _sound_ like it, Chucklehead. Laughing ain't gonna scare anyone."

"Your face will though," Mikey retorted.

Raphael let go of his brother without warning, enjoying the loft of his momentum and the two cops Mike managed to flatten with the surprise launch. The youth was unaffected by the entire experience, snapping into a kip-up which landed him in-between a couple more men.

The young turtle circled an arm around each of their backs and pulled them in tighter to his frame with the most animalistic sound Raphael had ever heard come from his mouth. When one of the officer's legs buckled Mike allowed him to sink backwards, while keeping fierce eye contact with the other.

The second man threw himself toward his comrade, and Michelangelo didn't block the officer's protective instinct to help his friend. Raphael was almost touched by the way the human retreated _with _his frightened partner instead of running off ahead of him.

Still, he also rubbed his hands together at the sight of a new formation of officers. "Playing" wasn't as satisfying, but it was too dangerous to go down the serious route, regardless of possible regrets incurred. The severity of his Master's injuries made it risky to give in to anger for a single moment.

The thought of his wounded father almost made a kick strike down the first man in his path, instead of harmlessly passing two inches over the cop's head. _They've got no clue how much we're holding back. If anyone starts shooting, though, all bets are freaking off._

The compounded shouts of new individuals drew Raph to look left. That was when he noticed Leonardo dashing straight across the wall around the cops, occasionally landing a foot on a shoulder here and there while he seemed to defy gravity. The flash of katana appeared to be deterring anyone from crowding in too close, but it wouldn't prevent them from shooting at Leo.

Raphael found himself distracted by trying to keep an eye on Mike _and_ his older brother, thereby missing the arrival of a nightstick until it glanced across his own shell. He turned on heel to face the surprised owner of a now-shattered weapon, and captured him by the collar with a guttural snarl.

Then he shoved the man into two counterparts behind him, avoiding the urge to laugh while tossing away the remnants of the ruined nightstick. He flexed away from a kick aimed toward his knees from a muscle-bound man on his right. Raphael honestly respected the human's sheer mass, but his size was irrelevant. He allowed the officer a couple more attempts to hit him, which resembled beating the air.

The twelve-year-old finally struck the officer's shoulder to send him off balance, and rolled over his back to get behind him. He rendered the man's dominant arm powerless with a swift tap of a nerve, and held on a little tighter until the cop pitched forward, falling on his face.

_Ninjutsu beats all._

Raphael kicked the next wrist he saw bearing a gun, and sent the weapon soaring with a glare at his "enemy". He drew back a fist as though to hit him, and stopped inches from delivering the blow. The turtle was close enough to the human see surprise dawn in the cop's face. He had to follow that up with a sweep of the officer's legs, sending him stumbling into another comrade who probably wasn't taking Raph seriously enough.

A sudden clash of metal on metal called for attention. Raphael's neck jerked to locate his older brother, scanning a couple seconds before locating the teen with both katana raised over his head in what looked like a warrior salute. A second crashing of his blades together reminded him of what Leo was doing.

_The signal!_

Raphael instantly turned around to find his youngest brother, then jumped over the heads of three men like he was playing leap frog with them. He wanted to call Mike's name, but settled for an urgent shriek which was meant to get his brother to meet him.

The slight tilt of the youth's head indicated Michelangelo understood. In seconds he bowled over an officer, and overtook two more who'd been trying to escape while he slid across the floor toward Raph.

Raphael spun his sai faster now, jabbing and faking out the individuals who were yet trying to surround them both. He was hesitant to move or do anything else until Leonardo headed for them, motioning katana toward the center of the room.

This was it – the finale his older brother planned. But a large part of it hinged on Don, and he wasn't sure where the younger turtle currently was. Raphael briefly searched the rafters, not catching a glimpse of him. He then shifted to glance at the container in which he'd hidden Splinter.

A light brush of his shell nearly made Raph tear into whoever had gotten that close to him, right before he recognized Leo's fingers.

"It's a good concentration," the teen murmured, nodding at the shadowy fingers who'd built up in the background.

Raphael refused to admit he hadn't noticed the numbers increasing, or how much nearer they were to being hemmed in. Instinct caused adrenaline to surge, ready to fight his way out of the assault, but he still had to wait.

"You think they got any idea what's about to happen?" he asked his brother softly.

"Not unless they've got a genius for a brother too."

The flickering of faint emergency lights made Leo tense, and stretch to grab Mike's wrist when he jolted. "It's okay. Don't forget to hold your breath, and _move_. Don't wait for anything when the rest of lights go out."

Raphael nearly stopped breathing just from anticipation. Although he'd been briefed on what would happen, he wasn't prepared for how it would play out. Donny had experimented with a number of materials for smoke bombs through the years, but was limited this time by the only ingredients he'd carried with him for the trip. Fortunately, the current variety only called for two.

"All of you on the ground!" one man finally found his voice. "Drop your weapons and surrender _now!_"

Raph stoically eyed the officer, refusing to answer or do what he said. Leonardo had specifically told them not to address people directly, and while he normally abhorred being ordered not to do something, this one made a lot of sense. There would be no begging for their lives or reasonable behavior from strangers who were prepared to offer neither.

He was tempted to look up again, but this time refrained. Raphael didn't want the cops to catch wind that anything else could be coming. The second phasing of lights and a crackling sizzle were the next signs of Don's movement above them. It would have been easy to miss the tiny sound in that environment, but Raph was fixated on the minute changes taking place in the background.

The twelve-year-old drew closer to his brothers when he noticed a single flash falling like a comet. It was followed by several more of the flaming beacons; his brother's version of a bomb constructed from nothing but matches and duct tape. The combined smoke which instantly billowed around them was one of the most beautiful screens his brother had created yet.

While the development confused and alarmed officers who weren't aware the effects were mostly harmless, it was also the signal for the rest of the turtles to move _fast_. The use of vision wasn't necessary to navigate current obstacles. In fact, Raphael shut his eyes to prevent them from stinging, and held his breath to keep from choking on fumes.

Departing from the temporary smoke screen took seconds, and he didn't check if his brothers followed. Raph had to retrieve Splinter _before_ Donny's next phase kicked in.

The thought drove him rapidly to the door of the unit he'd chosen, where he gathered his blanket-wrapped father from a position behind crates. He checked quickly to assure himself that the rat was still breathing before gently loading Splinter over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, and carefully bracing an arm around his bad leg to support it.

When he ducked back out of the shipping unit, he found that smoke had spread like a low-lying fog. Pandemonium also seemed to have erupted in the area as blinded men ran into each other and tried to identify the unknown threat. He also found Leo and Mike waiting for him on the edge of the room, noticeable for their _lack_ of movement.

"Is Otosan okay?" Leo whispered urgently.

"'Bout the same, I think. Where's Donny?"

"Finishing!"

At Leonardo's prophetic word, the sparse emergency lights promptly went out, sending the entire space into _real_ darkness. Raphael immediately feared for Donny, but Leo's familiar hand was around his shoulder once more, propelling him forward.

"How's Don supposed to find us?!"

"He knows which way we're going, Raph! We're sticking with the original escape route."

The twelve-year-old would never admit it out loud, but he was disappointed when Leo let go of him. Neither seeing nor being able to hear anything from his brothers was disconcerting, despite having trained in similar conditions. He sensed Leonardo in front of him, but had no idea where Mike was.

They'd only dashed a few yards when Raph stretched out a hand to make contact with the teen's shell.

"Bro, I can't feel Mikey."

"He's in front of me," Leo assured him. "Mike has a better understanding of this place than the rest of us. We can trust him, Raph."

"But Donny-"

"Is coming. He's coming, bro, I promise you. Focus on supporting Sensei, keep up, and we'll be out of here in no time."

Raphael shut his mouth and fixed on the sensation of Leonardo's presence. He had a feeling that as long as he could orient on his brother, everything else would be okay too.

Soon he was also accosted by the sense of walls narrowing in on him, and surmised they were in a hallway. It felt like they'd been lost in the pitch black forever, despite it not possibly being that long.

Desperation to hear from Donny and the fear that someone else would be able to follow them left Raphael extremely paranoid. _Those cops have flashlights. They look hard enough, and they could still-_

The sound of something brushing the wall behind the twelve-year-old nearly sent him berserk. If he wasn't hauling Splinter, he probably would have lunged first and asked questions later. As it is, his sudden halt caused something to collide with his shell _hard, _and a glorious grunt greeted him from the darkness.

"Shell, Raph! Gimme some warning."

Raphael was ecstatic to hear his younger brother, even if he was also warring with irritation. "Don't announce yourself then, Donny. You're lucky I didn't try to take your head off."

Donatello pushed away the flailing hand trying to help him up. "I'm good – keep going! That smoke wasn't very thick. It's got to be dissipating, and they'll be trying to find us."

"You made that a lot harder for 'em," Raph said appreciatively. "Ya done good, Don."

"Don't compliment me until we escape. It's bad luck."

"Does that mean I can't call you genius?"

"You don't have a choice. Those were _your_ terms in the bet. You said if I got the computer working, you'd call me 'genius' until the day you died."

Raphael started to chuckle, right before seeing a small sliver of light in the distance. The relief of being able to partially view all of his brothers in one piece nearly made him stop again. But Michelangelo didn't hesitate in running through the door, so neither could he.

Inside an interior room he got to take brief stock of Leo and Don in the faint outdoor lighting streaming in the windows, but never had a close look at Mike, because he was still moving.

"Where are we heading?" the youngest demanded. "Are we winging this part too?"

"Not completely," Leo answered. "We'll go back across the Industrial Park. There are more warehouses and shipping yards nearby."

"How far?" Mike asked warily.

"Closest building is about four miles. The other shipping yards, a couple more."

Michelangelo cursed, causing Raphael to gape at him. "We're supposed to make it that far running from cops, Leo?"

The oldest turtle nodded grimly. "We just have to avoid them. With any luck, we'll get to the field without being seen. Then we'll have the chance to run across the Industrial Park a lot easier. Either way, we can't stay here."

The heaviness of the statement made Raphael cringe. The only thing waiting if they were found again would probably be a hailstorm of bullets.

Mike stepped away from the window, waving for Leonardo to go first. The oldest turtle climbed through the window frame, which appeared to have been previously shattered.

Leo held out his arms to Raph. "Give me Sensei for a minute, and you can come out."

Raphael partially dreaded being exposed to the driving rain, but there wasn't an alternative. He carefully handed off their father and passed through the window, landing on the other side with a groan over the cold downpour. Then he mutely took Splinter back to free up the teen's hands, and waited for younger brothers to join them.

Leo suddenly took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, holding up hands to point out another distressing fact. Charcoal powder was being washed away. "We're losing our cover. Stay low, don't make a sound, and let's head for the field."

Raph made his other brothers take the middle behind the teen, putting himself at the back. He scanned every direction when they started moving, skirting the edge of the main building. As serious as things were, seeing a firetruck nearby made him snort.

"Sick, Fearless. When you sabotage something, you really go for the big guns."

"I didn't expect it to catch on fire," he called back over his shoulder.

"Well, you probably slowed down those cops, so nice going."

Leonardo's second glance communicated uncertainty at the praise.

"I mean it." Raphael felt compelled to add, even though he couldn't see the teen needing his approval.

His older brother nodded, but then hesitated in his step. Motioning to Donatello, he said something Raphael couldn't hear. Then the ten-year-old drew his bo and crept toward the corner they'd been approaching. Without any warning Don lashed out, and it sounded like he made a solid connection with something on the other side.

From the pained grunt that followed, it was obvious he hadn't knocked the figure out. Raphael hurried from the end to watch Leo pressing a finger to the man's temple, and the twelve-year-old grimaced at the rifle on the ground beside him.

Leo didn't say anything, but immediately led them on. Departing the small cover the building provided felt like suicide, yet abandoning it sooner or later was a necessity. Raphael vaguely wished Donny could have saved some of his smoke bombs.

_Might not have done much good in the rain though._

Looking at his brothers, he could see the remnants of their charcoal disguise still disappearing. Donatello chose that moment to rip the nylon mask from his head, like he couldn't stand it any longer. Discouraging him at that point didn't make any sense.

Crouching near the ground, Leonardo made for the rows of police cars lining the parking lot. Raphael took a closer look at vehicles while they slipped in between them.

"Could we take one, do ya think?" Raph ventured.

"Stealing a cruiser would be a little obvious." Leo sounded irritated.

"It's not...a horrible idea though," Donny offered softly. "The car back in the field. If it works, that might come in handy."

"If it works," the teen allowed. "But it seems like whoever dumped it must have thought the car was worthless. They also probably didn't leave the keys."

Don's chuckle was surprising. "Leo, I don't need keys."

Raphael was on the ten-year-old's shell in a flash. "Can you hot-wire that thing?"

"As long as it has gas, the battery, and a working engine, yeah."

"Why do you know how to hot-wire a car?" the oldest turtle asked testily.

Donatello shrugged. "It was one of my first YouTube* searches. Seen it on TV. Wanted to know if it was possible in real life."

"None of us know how to drive," Leonardo still objected.

"Leo, it ain't rocket science." Raph scoffed. "And even if it was, we got a genius on our team. I think we'll figure it out."

"_If _it's working, we can talk about it then," Leo agreed with clenched jaw.

Raphael rejoiced to have "won" a small battle, then turned his attention back to real problem. They were coming to the end of police cars, and left with nothing but a fifty yard dash through the open to get to the field.

Attacking the perimeter fence was the next step, and the sight of five men on the other side of it made Raph curse under his breath. _Wouldn't be hard for the four of us to take 'em out. The trick is to avoid anyone else noticing. _He looked around warily. The beams of flashlights across the property and the sound of men running different directions made taking the risk even harder. Raphael couldn't look a single direction without seeing evidence of cops.

_Doesn't matter. We got this far, and we can't stop._

Raph nudged Don's shoulder to hand Splinter off to him and joined Leo near the fence.

"Try not to hurt them," Leonardo reminded.

"Yeah, got it." Raphael resisted the growl pulsing at the back of his throat.

They waited until the sentries were heading the opposite direction, and Leo's nod spurred the twelve-year-old into action. Raphael scaled chain link as quietly as possible, and rolled right over the top without bothering to climb down the other side.

Leonardo hit the ground a second behind him, and they both went toward patrolling strangers. They moved quietly enough that the men shouldn't have heard them, but the second one started to turn, Raphael didn't hesitate to strike his wrist and catch the barrel of the human's gun.

He avoided the cop's headbutt by bending backwards, and shrugged off an arm trying to loop around his neck. Raph was dying for the fast ease of knocking the attacker behind him out, so that catching him with pinching fingers at the jaw felt like a love tap. The efficiency of the nerve pain leveled the human, and freed the turtle to deal with his original gunman.

The sight of his backup weapon forced Raphael to roll out of the way as bullets were expended. Slogging through the mud was almost as irritating as being shot at again. The cop followed him, leveling his pistol inches from his frame. Stoic, Raphael glared at the man.

"Keep your hands where I can see them!" the officer ordered.

Giving nothing away by his expression, Raph hooked the man's knee with his leg and sent him tumbling on his face. He was on top of the cop before he even managed to turn over, pinning his gun hand to the ground with one foot, and sending a kick to the back of his head with the other.

"Don't need my hands," he proclaimed over the unmoving assailant.

"Did you really have to kick him?" Leo demanded.

"He shot at me," Raphael spat.

His brother didn't appear to be in the mood to argue about it. Instead he jumped back on the fence, ascending to the top to retrieve their father from Donny. Raphael came on Leo's other side to receive the rat from him.

"C'mon, you guys, hurry up," he urged through the links at younger brothers. "Get over here already."

Raphael heard a shout in the distance from the parking lot, and amber eyes widened when he noticed another group of officers appeared to have noticed their attempt to escape.

* * *

***I clearly don't own YouTube. **


	26. We Are

The moment Leonardo saw the officers coming, he was tempted to divide up the group and tell the others to disappear without him Even as he contemplated the action, a pit formed in his stomach. _Sensei wouldn't want me to do that, and it goes against what we already decided. We're all getting out together. I'm sure Raph wouldn't hesitate to remind me, but how are we supposed to lose these people?!_

In the distance, he could see the field. _That's where we need to be. Though, if they watch us go in, the cops will keep searching. I bet we're faster than them on foot, but they'll get their vehicles out eventually. Once they do that, the police will comb the entire Industrial Park. Shell, they might shut down _all _the ports! How would we get a boat then? This can't happen._

The barrage of thoughts rushed through his mind in a span of thirty seconds, until he noticed his brothers staring at him in varying stages of frustration, annoyance, and terror.

"Head for the field," he declared coolly. "We'll beat them there."

Everyone broke into a run, but it was clear concern existed.

"Leo, they're gonna see us!" Don pointed out obviously. "They won't quit looking until-"

Leonardo held up a hand to stop him. "We can't afford to stay on foot with their cars possibly in play. I think we're going to have to try out the vehicle Raph found."

Amber eyes appeared stunned at his admission. "You wanna go with something I said?"

"It wasn't a bad idea, Raph. It's just risky. But everything about the last couple of days has been one giant suicide leap, so...why change course now?"

Raphael threw his head back with a loud laugh. "Now you're speaking my language, Fearless."

Leo managed a small smirk in response. "Don't get used to it." He glanced over his shoulder at each brother in turn. "Stay away from the main path. Mike, I want you to keep right on my shell. Raph, Don, it won't hurt to split up the other way, and make the cops think we're scattering. Stay together, and meet us back at the car."

Leonardo only heard the faintest rustle announcing his youngest brother's presence when he took off. He fell back slightly so they would be side-by-side, tearing through the wet, overgrown weeds.

"Nobody told me to train for a marathon," Mike grumbled. "This really isn't my sport."

"You're faster than any of us, Mikey."

"I'm a sprinter! _This_ is cross country. Leo, what if the car doesn't work, or nobody can drive it?"

The teen swallowed. "Then we'll have to continue on foot, and hope they get tired of looking for us."

Michelangelo's anxious breath made Leo look at him closer. "Otosan needs _help_. We can't haul him all over creation. We gotta get home!"

"He's strong, Mike, and you are too. You've proved it, and I'm gonna start expecting more from you." Leo's mock threat was meant to lighten him up a little, but it didn't seem to work.

"You won't think so when you find out how we ended up here," the youth lamented. "I'm the dumbest idiot alive!"

Leonardo caught Michelangelo by the collarbone to pull him short.

"Leo-"

"Nobody talks about my brother that way."

The nine-year-old sniffed, rubbing his eyes. "I can't believe he got hurt this bad because of me."

"It wasn't because of you." Leo felt like stamping his foot. "We're gonna make it, Mike. _Sensei_ is gonna make it. This is one of the last big hurdles. We lose these guys, and we're free to find a ship. All we have to do..."

The teen trailed off at the sight of headlights filtering through the brush, and heard the car engine to back it up. _Great. Cops are already breaking out the cavalry._

_ "_Raph's the biggest," Michelangelo wavered. "You think he can handle a car?"

"Well, like he said, it's not rocket science. The basic idea isn't that difficult. And Raph won't need to drive on a highway or pass a real test so...Yeah. I think he can."

"I do too."

A second set of headlights going by made Leo grimace and continue to hesitate. They needed to get across the path, which felt more dangerous with every passing second. He kept the nerves to himself, reaching out a hand to encourage his little brother to stay close to him.

They remained on their knees in the overgrowth for several more seconds, while Leo prayed his brothers were making it to the abandoned car. At the same time, he felt Michelangelo growing antsy on his left.

"We gotta go, don't we?" Mike suggested.

"Yep. Not much left to do, except...jump." Leonardo pointed out the hill rising from the field. "That's our goal. The car was off in a thicket at the bottom. Time to run again."

Before he had any more time to think it through, the teen dashed across the path. He could still hear the vehicles which were ahead of them, and noticed more lights approaching. They buried themselves in the brush on the opposite side, and kept going.

The soggy ground felt like it slowed their steps, but they somehow reached the familiar grove faster than Leo expected. Sliding down the slight embankment, the teen found the car's door open, and a figure already bowed under the dashboard.

"Donny!"

Leo's panicked cry caused Don to hit his head with a grumbled curse. "I'm sorry. Where's Raph?"

"He was keeping an eye on the area, Leo. Raph's gotta be close by. Right now, I need to figure out if this thing will even work." He pointed at the glowing dome lights of the vehicle. "That's a good sign for the battery, but it doesn't say anything about the engine or gas level."

Leo peered into the backseat where their father was already lying, and checked his breathing once more for his own peace of mind. Judging from the trash and other effects left behind, he surmised the car had belonged to one of the Crypts from the night before. He didn't want to leave his family, but they weren't all present yet.

"Mike, give him more light under the dash," Leo urged. "I'll be back in a couple minutes."

The teen rapidly climbed out of the thicket and searched for any sign of Raphael. _No way did he just walk away from Donny. He's got to be nearby! _Leonardo's legs twitched, ready to take off on a mad dash. _He's okay. Raph must be. Someone couldn't have caught up with him that fast. They were too far behind, with the exception of the guys using cars. The cops kept going, though, none of them stopped. Did they?_

Leo's gaze returned to the road. _I have to find him. But I can't leave the others! This is the freaking nightmare from Hell that won't end. Where is he?!_

It took every ounce of self control not to scream his brother's name to the sky. The roar of another engine made him jump and then duck to the ground, before realizing the direction the sound came from.

He lunged to his feet and skid back down the small embankment, amazed by the sight of the running vehicle. Leo shook his head at the wires hanging out from underneath the dash and couldn't resist clapping his younger brother's shell.

"You're something else, Don. I think we'll keep you."

The ten-year-old grinned. "It was nothing. We've got at least half a tank of gas in this thing too. Could just about drive it back to Manhattan ourselves, if we knew where we were going. As soon as Raph-"

Donny didn't get to finish, because multiple gunshots wrought the air. At least three wild bullets buried in the car while the turtles dove to the earth. Leo, however, wasn't destined to stay there. He leaped to his feet, thinking of nothing but his remaining brother.

The moment he crested the bank Leo caught the glint of a gun, much closer by than he'd anticipated. Fueled by adrenaline and determination, he ran toward the human aiming at him, not caring if he pulled the trigger. Leonardo heard another shot and dodged left, even as the bullet missed him by several feet.

The shooter's aim was thrown off by the missing turtle plowing into his back, sending the man sprawling. The cop rolled over twice to grab his fallen gun, only for Raphael to stomp down on his side and pin the human to the ground.

"Not tonight, bastard."

Part of Leonardo wanted to chide him for speaking to the man, but a larger part was simply relieved to see him at all. Raph looked up sheepishly at Leo's approach.

"Sorry, bro. Two of 'em were on our trail, and I got a little hung up."

Leonardo shook his head, slightly overwhelmed. "It's okay. Donny got the car running. We have to go!"

"Lemme just finish off this prick."

Raphael barely had a hand under the human's chin when the shocked officer spoke.

"What...are you?"

The twelve-year-old growled fiercely. "Y'know what? I'm freaking sick of that question! I'll tell ya exactly what we are." He hauled the man upright, twisting the cop's shoulder in an immobilizing grip.

Leonardo's heart instantly beat faster when his brother dragged the man closer to the thicket, but he couldn't do anything to stop him. Raphael halted at the crest of the embankment, crushing the cop against the ground in full view of the other turtles beneath them. Though it was amusing to see the twelve-year-old manhandle someone who was bigger and broader than him, it was also terrifying, because Leo didn't know what he would do.

"Raph," he called tentatively. "We need to leave. This is our chance."

"It will only take a minute, Leo," he answered calmly. "Dude asked a question. I want _someone_ to know the truth."

Raphael used the free hand which wasn't pinching the man's vertebrae to turn his chin toward the car. "Ya see that bundle in the backseat? That's our dad. He's a miniature weapon of mass destruction, and the only reason you cops got to pick up a bunch of filthy Crypts last night. He stopped 'em from killing other people, and basically did your job for you.

"He didn't do _nothing_ to deserve being attacked tonight – none of us did! A few of your cronies overreacted to someone they didn't understand, and created this whole mess."

Raphael took a deep breath and drew the man's head toward the younger turtles. "That's my nine-year-old brother, but he also likes to call himself the Turtle Titan. Does it sound familiar? He's the one who phoned this whole thing in and told your people what was up. You bastards turned around, and tried to murder him.

"My brother there? He's ten-fricking-years old, and the biggest genius you'll ever meet. We wouldn't have gotten this far, this fast, without him."

Raph gave a tensing Leo another look. "That guy over there? He's thirteen years old. He's got more guts in one finger, than your entire motley crew. That's who we are, not that it makes any difference to ya. We're only some monsters you gotta destroy, before they take you out. But we didn't kill one person. _Not one!_

"Your idiot officers shot somebody. _That_ guy tried to use a flash bang which took our dad down hard, and ended up breaking his own stupid neck. Yet we're the enemy because we don't fit in with you! That's how it's always gonna be, ain't it?"

The silence that followed his speech was deafening. Leonardo wasn't sure what to do in response, but slowly moved to join Raphael. He peered into the frightened blue eyes of the cop, and felt like the man _still _didn't get it.

Leo crouched down beside where he was pinned. "My brother is a twelve-year-old powerhouse. He could already destroy a full-grown man if he wanted to. But he's too strong to do it. The reason he doesn't kill anyone, is because he's _better_ than that," he finished with disgust for the joint police force's behavior.

The man flinched when Leo leaned closer, plucking the handcuffs off his belt. "What are you doing with me?"

"Bring him over here, Raph," the teen instructed, having already noticed a pipe jutting out of the ground.

His brother directed the human none too gently to kneel in the mud where Leo indicated. The older turtle snapped one end of the handcuffs around the man's wrist, and attached the other side to the pipe.

"Now you can just sit for a few minutes in the rain, and think about what we said," Leo told him, feeling like he was addressing a toddler. "By the way, the guns those Crypts were harboring? They're stowed in a bunker, behind a false wall in the maintenance closet. Get past that door, and you'll find everything. If we wanted to kill someone, we had every chance in the world to try. Make sure you collect those weapons, so no one else does."

Leo spotted the radio clipped to the cop's shoulder, and almost confiscated it. In the end, he simply moved the unit to make sure the man would be able to reach the device with his free hand. It wasn't his intention to strand the cop out there all night. "I respect the office you hold. That's why I'm not gonna hurt you. Though, after what your people did to us...I don't think my brothers would blame me if I did."

Donatello cleared his throat. "Leo, we should go. Now. Forget about him."

The teen nodded. "You're right. He's not worth it. This is probably going in one ear and out the other anyway."

"You have...f-five minutes," the cop pronounced shakily.

Leo's brow furrowed. "Five minutes?"

"Head start, before I call you in. Clock is ticking."

The man's words sent the older turtles into overdrive, running back to the car.

"We need to get it out of the gully!" Donny cried. "Raph, go behind the wheel, put it in neutral, and we ought to be able to push it free!"

_Someone likely got himself stuck, and then had to ditch the car because the cops were there. I sure hope _we_ can get it out. _But there was no time to question whether they could. They _had_ to make it work.

Raphael put the window down as Leo ran around behind the car. "You ought to send the genius back up here! I'd be better off pushing!"

"You can reach everything easier!" Don retorted.

Leo chose not to chime in, bracing against the back end instead. He could immediately tell how hard it would be to keep their footing between wet plants and muddy earth. He sent a glance to younger brothers on either side of him. "Together, okay? One...two...three!"

The vehicle shifted slightly under the pressure, but wasn't freed from the waterlogged ground.

"C'mon, guys, again! Brace and push!" Leo grunted with exertion, throwing in the strength of his core to aid the effort.

The teen heard his brothers straining and felt the car jerk with their combined motion. The moment it made a little headway, he saw Michelangelo stumble out of the corner of his eye. Leo seized his brother by the arm to plant him on his feet, and dug in his own legs to keep balance.

They'd gained a small amount of ground, but there was still a ways to go, and time was running out.

"Leo, we need to switch!" Raph called back. "Come up here, and I'll push!"

"No, Raph! You move too much, and we'll lose the ground we already made!" Donatello shouted in return.

"Stay where you are," Leonardo reiterated. His eyes became narrow slits as he glared at the car. "We can do this."

Over the initial hump, the ground wasn't as sodden. With a simultaneous cry, all three brothers pressed against the vehicle again. Leo was enthused by the way the car partially crested the small embankment.

"A little more!" Raphael told them. "Just a little bit, guys, c'mon!"

Leonardo eyed his younger brothers, wiping away the deluge running down his forehead. "For Otosan."

The nods he received were the most resolute yet. The teen closed his eyes to focus once more on his core, and counted down a fourth time. Eyes remained clenched shut on this attempt, only because he was concentrating so hard. One moment Leo was pushing for all he was worth, and the next he was falling toward the ground.

He fell flat in a muddy tire track, and assumed the worst while picking himself up with burning cheeks. After rubbing bleary eyes, however, he discovered the car was over the bank, and Raph's head was out the window.

"Come on, come on, come on!" the twelve-year-old urged.

"You okay?" Don checked. "Look at me! Did you hit your head?"

"No, I'm fine," he retorted, still a little embarrassed.

Leo fixed briefly on the handcuffed officer watching them.

"All right!" the beleaguered man bellowed. "I guess the clock starts _now_."

A surprised snort left the teen's mouth while he waved. "Thanks."

Seeing his younger brothers head for the back, Leonardo ran around to the front passenger door. He jumped into the seat adjacent to Raphael and yanked for the safety restraint.

"You know what you're doing, Raph?"

"Uh...sorta? I've got the brake, the gas, steering wheel, a bunch of other buttons that do something-"

"Just put it in drive, and go!" Don told him.

As Raphael whipped the car toward the road, Leonardo already felt like he was going to be sick.

"Small corrections!" the ten-year-old demanded. "Take it easy, Raph!"

"Do you wanna do this?" the hothead challenged.

"I'm not tall enough! I was only saying-"

"Put on a seat belt or something and shut up! I'm trying to get us outta here!"

"And I'm trying to protect Otosan," Don snapped. "So do us a favor and don't flip the freaking car!"

Raphael gave the teen a quick glance while he started pulling up the road. "I don't know about this, Leo. That guy saw us get in the car, which means the cops will be looking for it."

"It's not ideal," Leonardo muttered. "I should have knocked him out. God knows, he deserved it." He peered at his brother's white-knuckled grip of the steering wheel. "Thanks for looking out, Raph. You really are a great brother."

"Too soon to be saying stuff like _that_, Leo. Ain't nobody dying here."

"That's partially thanks to you. Again."

"We're not keeping score tonight, are we? Figured we could focus on that kind of crap later. Don't worry – I'm not forgetting any of the times I saved your shell."

Leo laughed wearily, using the back of his hands to wipe mud off his face. He felt a tap on his shoulder, and saw Mike extending an old shirt toward him. He accepted, knowing it was better not question where the clothing had been. It was more effective on ground-in mud than his hands.

"Sounded like ya got to eat dirt, Leo. Woulda paid to see it."

"I'll make _you_ eat some dirt if you're not careful, Raph."

"Ain't hungry now, but you can try your best later."

The windshield wipers appeared to be in fast forward, which was exactly the state Leonardo's heart had spent too much of the evening. It was the first time the teen had felt like they _might_ be able to relax a little in several minutes, but he had sinking feeling their night wasn't over.

At the top of the hill Raphael braked to a stop, and glanced in the rear-view mirror. When Leonardo saw his double-take, he quickly turned around too. The brilliant reds and blues of police cars lit up the grounds behind them, indicating only one thing.

"They're coming," Leo said flatly. "We don't have much time."

"Then we gotta get out of here!"

The teen knew he was a second away from punching the gas, and grabbed his brother's arm to stop him. "Hang on. We have to figure out-"

"Raphy can't run from the cops!" Mike squealed. "He doesn't even have a driver's license!"

"How _would_ I, moron?"

"We have to abandon this road as soon as possible," Don blurted out. "I hate to say it, but I think we've got to lose the car too! It's too much of a risk with the police looking for it."

"But if they find the car, they'll still look for us on foot," Leo realized. "They'll spread out, cover the Industrial Park. They could shut down this entire strip. We can't let that happen! We have to find a boat tonight, and be on it before morning."

"A boat isn't our biggest problem right now," Raph argued, pointing behind them. "Those people are, and we gotta get away! We can't lose the car, Donny, not unless the cops are losing _theirs_. Gonna be hard to outrun them on foot."

"We don't need to outrun the cops, only avoid them! Hole up somewhere out of the way until the heat is off-"

"Sensei needs help, Donny!" Mike interjected. "We can't sit around and wait for things to clear up. We have to do something fast!"

"I know, Mike, I know!" Donatello's voice got a little shrill, signifying just how stressed out he was. "I'm trying to think. If we leave the car behind, they'll probably extend the bulletin to the whole Park, like Leo said. It _will_ get things shut down."

"That's why we gotta keep it!" Raph determined. "Screw the boat. I'll get us home in this thing."

"In a car the cops are already looking for? Raph, we don't even know the way home from here!" Leo pointed out.

"Ya think we can't find it? Look at everything we've done tonight, Fearless. We've come too far to quit now. There's no way I'm gonna give up, no matter how bad all of this looks."

Leo rested his head in both hands, suddenly aware it was pounding. "No one wants to give up, Raph. That isn't what I'm suggesting. We need to elude these people, or get them to stop looking for us. Now how can we do that?"

He didn't expect an answer, and received none. For a couple seconds there was nothing but the pounding rain on the windshield, and the increasing pressure in his temples which accompanied not knowing what to do.

Leo glanced in the mirror again, even though he didn't want to see the police getting closer. The Atlantic stretched out as an imposing backdrop for the scene. It would have been an impressive sight for a movie, but it wasn't helpful at the moment.

_There's an answer. There must be. Going forward means being tracked. Losing the vehicle only prolongs the chase, and gets everything shut down. So why would these men stop looking for us? What would convince them to turn back?_

_ A bigger emergency response somewhere else could take priority, a distraction to make them look another direction. But we don't have a phone, or anyone to call. It's only us on top of a hill, the ocean beneath us, and a hundred cops trying to bring us down. Nothing's going to stop the inevitable. Only way they'd give up is if we were already..._

Leonardo blinked rapidly in disbelief. He whipped around to face his younger brothers, then turned to include Raph. "I just got an idea."


	27. Follow

Raphael couldn't believe the next phase of insanity he was taking part in. While he hated throwing away the one Ace they'd managed to acquire, the car felt like a definite target since it'd already been seen.

He gave Leo a lingering glance while he hesitated at the top of the hill, having turned around to face the direction from which they'd originally come. "There's still time to get out, Fearless. Y'ain't even driving the thing, so there's no reason for you to be here."

"I'm here because you're here, Raph. And this is my stupid idea."

Raph's eyes ridges rose at the reference. "Wasn't how you described it to Don and Mike."

"I needed them to agree with me. I already knew you wouldn't."

"We just got this thing, Leo. _Why _would I wanna sink it?"

Leo gave him a hopeful smile. "To get a bunch of cops off our shells? With any luck, the man who saw us take off is still down there too."

Raphael's face darkened. "Shoulda dumped his butt in the thicket. Would have taken even longer for the cops to find him."

The twelve-year-old sent a look to the mirror, fixing briefly on the shadows of his younger brothers huddled with their Sensei outside. Then he turned his attention forward. "Fricking car won't crash itself, so...I'm thinking we gotta do this."

"Put your seat belt back on," Leo ordered.

"You realize we're gonna have to bail pretty quick, right?" he complained, but still pulled on the strap.

"Watch your speed on the hill."

"We gotta build momentum before it goes over the cliff, Leo. It'll be a lot better show."

"We still have to make it that far."

"The plan's real simple, bro. It's not like I'm gonna forget it. You should have stayed with the others."

Leo merely whipped his seat belt on. "Nope. I got you into this. Driving or not, I won't send you to finish it alone."

Raph's shoulders rose in a half-hearted shrug. "Really not a big deal. I jump off things all the time." He tried to catch his brother's eye again, but Leonardo stared resolutely forward.

Raphael followed his line of vision and exhaled a shaky breath. The sheer volume of cars heading down the path was the last thing he wanted to see. "Well, there's nothing left to do, except-"

"Raph. Drive."

He put the car in gear and started rolling down the hill. Even knowing he needed to accelerate made it difficult to do so in the unforgiving conditions. Resisting the urge to close his eyes was even harder.

"Gas, Raph," the teen demanded. "I know I told you to be careful, but this isn't near fast enough."

"Shell, I know, Leo," he muttered, pressing the pedal harder.

Raphael eased on more speed than he was comfortable with, particularly when he left the path at the bottom of the hill.

"Stay out of the ditches! You'll get stuck in two seconds."

The twelve-year-old _wanted_ to bite his head off for the comment, but was concentrating too hard to bother. He stretched out a hand to wipe away some of the fog which had recently developed on the inside of the window, and his brother smacked his wrist.

"Both hands on the wheel!"

"You want me to pull over, and we can trade places?"

"No, just drive! I see headlights behind us!"

"I don't see next to nothing!"

Leonardo leaned over the rows of switches and buttons which controlled the climate in the vehicle, trying several knobs before managing to turn on a fan full blast. "You've got this, Raph, you've got it! Don't let off the gas!"

That was _exactly_ what he'd been unconsciously doing. In the distance loomed another incline, and the ocean waited beyond the drop off. He understood the objective of the mission, but rushing toward it was still daunting.

"Only a little further, and we can bail," the teen reminded him. "It has to go over the cliff."

Raphael swore at him. "I understood your plan the first time!"

"Take a deep breath, and calm down."

"Calm down? Are you freaking nuts?!"

"If you jump out of the car in this frame of mind, you'll probably hurt yourself. Loosen up, now."

"'Cause you have so much experience jumping out of cars."

"We're both going to in a minute here. I'm not kidding, Raph. Watch where you're going, but breathe, and settle down. We're gonna be all right."

His breathing still felt unnaturally loud in his ears, but deepening it seemed to help some. Raphael chose to focus only on that, and not the edge of the cliff they were racing toward.

"That's a lot better, Raph. We're coming up on our exit."

Leo taking off his seat belt was the twelve-year-old's cue to do the same. Then Raph reached for his door without a word and swung it open.

"Okay, take it easy," Leo encouraged. "Keep breathing. We're almost there."

"I think we should go_ now_, Leo."

"Hang on a second-"

"No, we gotta go! Get your door open!"

The older turtle complied, but then caught his wrist. "Steady, bro."

"Leo, we have to jump. I'm going!"

"Wait-"

He _wasn't_ waiting, and Raphael knew if he jumped, Leo would too. That's why he wouldn't hesitate a single moment longer. He felt the dip of a pot hole as he launched off the seat, but there was no time to change directions when the door slammed shut on him.

Raphael saw stars when his head collided with the frame, and couldn't control his body as it flopped backwards. His surroundings blurred, but didn't go dark. Instead, it felt like he'd entered a slow motion universe where time seemed to stand still.

Presently he heard a voice which sounded like it traveled through a tunnel. It also appeared to speak some form of gibberish he'd never bothered to learn. His body was sliding, colliding with the steering wheel.

Wait. Who was driving? Hadn't he been driving? Or was that part of the dream? It was the only explanation that currently made sense.

A loud _crack_ resounded in his ears, causing Raph to blink. Shapes nearly came into focus; he identified the green shadow capturing his shoulder. He tried to protest when a hand grabbed his stinging head, tucking it firmly against his plastron.

The sudden violence of being airborne interrupted slow motion, and set in the urge to panic. The twelve-year-old flailed, not understanding what was happening, except that he was rapidly falling. Arms pinned limbs to his sides, drowning him in a tight embrace to complete the downward spiral which felt like it wouldn't end.

Fingers lost their grip on him upon impact with the ground, and the air was knocked out of his lungs. Raphael's momentum carried him a couple more feet, where he ended rolled over on his side in soaking wet vegetation.

Head pounding, chest heaving for air, the last thing he expected was for someone to grab his shoulders. His fist flew on instinct, and was batted down by a steady hand.

"Hey! Take it easy, Raph."

Leo's face came into view when he tugged him flat on his shell. "Are you okay? Talk to me, bro!"

Pouring rain actually helped clear cloudy vision, but a curse was the only word that currently came to mind. His older brother crouched down to partially shield him from the elements and lightly fingered his forehead.

"Don't touch it..." He groaned.

"_Are _you all right?"

Raphael didn't get to answer, because the sound of a crash followed by multiple collisions with rocks overtook his ears, and filled the space between them. He thought he caught a brief glimpse of flames shooting over the cliff, but then instantly shut his eyes.

Leo flopped down in the grass beside him, clearly overwhelmed. "I don't think you're bleeding. Probably have a nasty bump."

"Why don't ya alert the media?"

"Well, I would. But Mikey's the only one who can talk to the press."

Raphael didn't have the energy to be amused. He sat up with a wince, hesitating when dizziness clobbered him over the head.

"Raph, take a minute and get your bearings. Does anything else hurt?"

He hadn't even checked. Raphael cautiously tried out his arms and legs, feeling sore, but not broken. "I don't think so, Leo. You?"

"I'm all right." He drew up on his knees again, taking one more careful look at his forehead. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Fricking door," he complained.

"Yeah, it got you." Leonardo glanced toward the overlook, then backward up the hill. "Headlights. Think they're taking the bait, Raph."

Raphael struggled upright, ignoring the persistent waves assaulting his brain. "We gotta...get outta here."

"Yes, we do. Bro, give me your arm, okay?"

"I don't need help, Leo, but you're gonna have to handle Sensei for now. I don't think I trust myself with him."

"You can lean on me a little. I won't hold it over your head much."

Raphael had no choice except to allow his older brother to steady him on the slippery trek through weeds, and back up the side of the incline. "Ya think we really lost 'em, Fearless?"

"I hope so. There probably aren't any more abandoned cars to drive off cliffs."

The younger turtle chuckled, ignoring the spike of pain which came with it. "Shell, I'm lucky I survived it _once_, Leo."

"Aren't you glad I followed you now?"

There was no condescension or judgment in the question, and it enabled Raphael to look him straight in the eyes with real gratitude.

"Nah, Leo. I think maybe, sometimes...I ought to be following _you_. But if you tell anyone else I said that, I'll deny it until the day I die."

* * *

Raphael cringed upon finally reuniting with his younger brothers, knowing Donny would sniff out an injury from a mile away, even if Leo said nothing. It was also clear that his older brother didn't want to let go of him yet. He managed to separate from the teen at the last second, but the damage was already done, judging by the way Don rushed up on them.

"What happened? Raph, don't do that! Quit fighting me."

He _had_ been turning away from his younger brother, but stopped resisting when the ten-year-old's fingers caught his chin.

"Ain't that bad," he defended. "Didn't knock me out or nothing."

"You're still swelling up. We need to move. Leo, you're probably the best one to handle Otosan, but Raph-"

"I don't need to be fawned over, Donny. I'm fine!"

Wordlessly, his brother drew his bo and held the staff out to him. Raphael didn't want to accept it, but leaning on the weapon was preferable to slowing everyone down.

"We have to find cover and regroup," Leo said evenly. "Address some medical needs, warm up, and figure out how we're getting home. Hopefully the cops bought the 'death in the car' bit, and will stop searching for us."

Donatello nodded. "It was a good plan, Leo. Dangerous, but...a good plan."

Michelangelo had come up on Raphael's other side so quietly, the older turtle didn't notice him until he spoke. "Are you okay, Raphy?" The weakness of his voice made it impossible to be mad at Mike for catching him off guard.

"Yeah, Pipsqueak, I'm fine. Look at me. I'm standing on my own two feet, and ready to get out of here for good."

The nine-year-old gave him a toothy grin. "You're never gonna get your license now. I'll have to drive you around everywhere."

_"You_ woulda crashed the car before it made it over the cliff, Numbskull."

"At least I wouldn't try to use my head to do it." The twinge of his little brother's concern couldn't be hidden that time. "I know you've got a tough skull, Raph, but shell. Think the car won that round."

"Yeah, well, it's dead, and I walked away. So who actually won?"

"Can we stop at the first set of buildings?" Don requested, before Mike could chime in with anything else. "We know the construction project is cleaned out, but there may be some things in one of the others we could use. I need to get a better look at everyone, and confirm a few listings on the itineraries."

"Confirm a few listings? Do you already have a plan for the boat, Donny?" Leo asked hopefully.

"Maybe, but I don't wanna say anything yet. Let me do some research after things are settled down."

Leonardo looked back in the distance, drawing Raphael to do the same. The emergency response which had gathered on the overlook was the most encouraging thing the twelve-year-old had seen all night, and it felt good to release a sigh of relief.

His older brother caught Raph's eye meaningfully, and something in his expression made him stand up straighter. Not out of the stubborn belief that he needed to be strong for everyone, or refuse to give up a hint of pain.

He came to attention because of sheer pride for the turtle who'd led them through the most insane scenario any of them had ever taken part in. For a moment, Leo didn't look like himself; he seemed suddenly ageless and omnipotent. The odd vision of his brother growing taller before his very eyes distorted after a moment. All that was left behind was a normal thirteen-year-old who was anything _but_ normal.

"Raph, you okay?" Leo appeared to notice he was staring.

"Yeah, Fearless," he returned softly, actually meaning the word. "I'm fine. We all will be, right?" He wheeled around to face Don. "How is Otosan?"

"He's pretty cold, but I still have a good pulse from his knee. His arteries should be intact. I'm eager to do a few more things for him, so...are we going?"

Raphael shared another look with Leonardo. "Lead the way, bro."

The twelve-year-old leaned heavily on Donny's bo while he followed the group at the end, intensely aware that Mike hadn't let him out of sight. It should have been annoying, but the joy of having their father and little brother back hadn't worn off completely yet.

_ Barely had a second to breathe so it _could_ get old._

He shot Mike a smirk to put the nine-year-old at ease. "Ya sure know how to make our lives interesting."

Michelangelo bit his lip, unable to muster the same sentiment. "Sensei has to be okay. He has to. If he's not, it'll be all my fault."

Raph hooked a free arm around his shell. "Ain't your fault at all, little brother. You heard Donny anyway. He's got a good pulse, and we're getting out of here. Genius probably already has an amazing idea for taking us home."

Mike was trying to repress a smile now. "Would have been more fun for you to drive us. Did you get to see it crash?"

"Nah. I was too busy getting the wind knocked outta me and being saved by Leo."

The young turtle stared at the back of Leonardo's head. "You ever seen him like that before?" he whispered.

"No. I mean...kinda, but no. Guess we have a pretty good reason to do what he says sometimes," he accidentally admitted out loud.

His brother's blue eyes widened. "You'd let Leo tell you what to do? How hard did you hit your head?"

"Shut up, Shell-fer-brains."

* * *

Dozing wasn't an intentional act for the red-masked turtle. What started as an effort to warm up with Mikey under some heavy curtains Leo had torn from their mooring ended in Raph relaxing a little _too_ much.

When he opened his eyes, he immediately noted Michelangelo beside him. His snore was intact, if somehow a little quieter than normal. Raphael shifted carefully, trying not to disturb the orange-masked turtle in the process of rising. He didn't want to bother him, but he needed a closer look at their father.

Raphael started to ask the blue-masked turtle how he was, but the rat's head tilted toward him before he could say a word. "Master."

He dropped to his knees on their Sensei's other side. Raph didn't want to ask if he was in pain – it seemed like a stupid question. Instead, he reached out to squeeze his wrist.

"It's good to see ya, Otosan."

Onyx eyes were heavy, but it was still nice to find him partially alert. "And you...musuko." Splinter's words sounded breathless.

"You gotta be ready to get home." Raph exchanged a glance with the teen. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Don said you probably shouldn't if you have a concussion, but you seem to be in your right mind," Leo jabbed.

"We any closer to getting out of here?"

"Donny offered a couple of solutions. There's a boat that's nearer by, but it won't leave until afternoon. If we go a couple more miles...there's a ship departing for Manhattan at 7am."

Raphael didn't feel like going further, but the idea of heading home faster was more appealing. "I say we suck it up, and go the extra miles. Sooner we get home, sooner Don can do more for Sensei."

"Stop worrying," the rat spoke up. "I am meditating, separating myself from some of it."

"You're also hurt badly, Otosan," Leo countered. "Your body is going to have reactions that your mind can't control. I think all of us are in agreement about getting you home by the fastest available method."

"I want you to be...safe," he proclaimed a little stronger.

"We'll be safer at home than we are here, right?" the red-masked turtle suggested. "You don't have to worry about us either, Sensei. We got this far together. Can't screw it up too badly on the way back."

He swore Splinter nearly smiled before his eyes closed again. Even in rest, his breathing was obviously labored.

"Think he'll be okay?" Raph hissed.

"He's in a lot of pain," the teen said softly. "It's not easy to see, but we have to keep a close eye on him."

Raphael glanced around. "Where's Don?"

Leonardo pointed to the light coming from underneath a door across from them. "Cleaning up in the bathroom, but it's been at least twenty minutes. You wanna check on him? Or I could. Wouldn't hurt me to stretch my legs."

"You're good, Leo. I'll go see the brainiac."

Raph got to his feet a little slower than usual, compensating in case he felt dizzy. He was pleased to have no trouble in crossing the hall. When he opened the door to the Men's room, he was surprised to find the ten-year-old perched on a counter-top, facing the mirror.

"Hey, you all right, Donny?"

The younger turtle dropped a tiny needle beside his purple mask on the counter, then turned to face him. Raphael was a little shocked by his abrasions, having not seen them in full lighting yet.

"Wow, Genius."

"It's not as bad as it looks. I only really need stitches for the one gash."

Raphael's finger hovered over the open wound which his brother had already started to work on. "You're stitching yourself?"

The ten-year-old ducked sheepishly. "Easier to do while I have the mirror. I figured if I get it closed and disinfected now, I won't have to worry about developing an infection."

"Yeah, but...you shouldn't have to do it alone. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep on all of ya."

"Raph, it's okay. You were comforting Mikey. Is he still resting?"

"I don't think I woke him up."

"Good. He and Splinter went through something huge, and he needs the sleep. Won't hurt you either, as long as you can put up with me waking you every now and then in case of a concussion."

"Bro, you look worse than me. Are you even seeing yourself?"

"It'd be hard to stitch if I didn't," he answered wryly. "But seriously, I'm okay. I need to finish this though."

"So I ought to leave ya alone?"

"You don't have to go anywhere," Donatello assured him, turning back to the mirror. "I don't mind you talking to me."

"There's nothing I can do to help?"

"I set up an assembly line to make this easier on myself, but you could hand me stuff when I ask for it. I might not talk much, because it's hard to stitch and have a conversation at the same time."

Raphael stood silently by to watch his younger brother's precise "surgery" on his cheek. His request for items already standing by ranging from cotton to the small bottle of disinfectant from his kit didn't feel extremely helpful, but he didn't want to leave Donny by himself.

He couldn't keep from wincing when Donatello practically bathed his face in peroxide. "Shell, Donny. Doesn't that hurt like a mother?"

"Better than the alternative." Don spun around on the counter-top and sat back down, so his legs extended off the end. "Can I have another look at you please?"

The red-masked turtle pulled a cross face, but allowed careful fingers to probe his forehead.

"That bump is no joke. You need some ice."

"You don't carry it around in your bag of tricks?"

Donny winced like he was serious. "No. I had a couple of instant-cool packs from the other kit I found in the maintenance closet, but I already used them for Sensei."

"What do you think of him, for real, Don?"

The ten-year-old backed away like he'd been bitten. "I don't...I can't tell you for sure, Raph. The breaks are bad. If he was human, he'd be in the hospital."

"You can help him, can't you?"

"I'm a kid. This is something for a surgeon or doctor to handle. With as much first aid as I've been studying, this is still way over my head. That being said...I will research and do everything in my power to give him the best chance for mobility."

The incredible weight his brother accepted wasn't lost on Raphael. "Donny, I'm sorry. This shouldn't be on you. It ain't your job to save everyone."

"It's all of our jobs," he corrected, picking up his mask to tie it back in place. "You're just a little more physical, where I have to focus on the medical. Even when I don't completely know what I'm doing."

"How are you gonna do this?" he had to ask.

"I have a feeling many trips to the library are in my future."

"You can't do it all, Don. You're gonna need help."

"That's why we have each other, isn't it? We didn't come this far alone. Got in and out as a team. That doesn't have to change because we go home."

Raph nodded heavily. "Don't know how much help I'll be, Genius. But we gotta stick together. I think tonight proved that if we do that...we can do just about anything."


	28. Leave

The sensation of familiar fingers grazing his forehead roused the orange-masked turtle once again. He barely remembered being woken for the second trek in the rain to reach a new section of the Industrial Park, having felt like a zombie for the entirety of it. He still wasn't ready to wake up yet, but near panic aborted the moment he saw his ten-year-old brother crouched over him.

"Is it breakfast time?" Mike mumbled.

"Not quite," Don said apologetically. "Although, I do have a little of the recalled food from Reid's, if you need something right now."

"Nah, I still have some of that junk too. I just...I'm ready for this part to be over."

"Well, we're getting closer to that. It's time to get moving again. Are you okay to keep going?"

"I wasn't hurt, Donny," Michelangelo objected, and then thought about the experience a little harder. "I mean...I'm okay _now_," he faltered uncertainly.

It took less than two seconds to realize it was the wrong thing to admit to his brother.

"You're okay now?" Donatello repeated warily, pulling Mike to sit up further. He was already staring him down with the precision of a high-focused laser beam. "Are you telling me you're happy to see us, or am I missing something?"

"Of course I'm happy to see you." Mike latched on to the harmless explanation, and offered a fake grin to cover the nerves of almost saying too much. He wore the forced smile for several moments, praying it would convince his genius brother that he was all right.

"Nope, there's something else," the purple-masked turtle insisted. "You're going to tell me what it is."

"It needs to wait," Leo cut in, emerging through a doorway dripping wet. "We've got a really good window, Don."

Donny whipped toward the oldest turtle. "I'm not surprised. Where's Raph?"

"Taking one more pass. We get to use the weather to our advantage."

Donatello scowled. "We _just_ got everyone warmed up."

"And we'll do it again."

"Except it will mean drenching all of our stuff too. I know it can't be helped," Don added quickly. "I'm only irritated because our supplies are lacking, and there's no telling what we'll find on the ship. Sensei deserves better care than this."

"We'll find things to use, Donny." Leonardo's confidence was somehow still intact. "Raph and I sort of know where to look, based on the last boat. But time is running out."

Donny nodded. "I know – sorry. Can you grab Master Splinter for me?"

Mike started to object when the purple-masked turtle hefted the nine-year-old's bag in addition to his own, but a pointed look from Don shut him up. He glanced over at Leo instead.

"What are we doing? You guys found us the boat?"

The blue-masked turtle motioned for silence before hoisting their father into his arms. He led them quietly back through the door, out of a connecting hall to a nearby exit. Mike watched Don take a deep breath right as Leo pushed the bar to release door, and let them outside.

Michelangelo paused for a couple more beats, before venturing into the pouring rain. Enough time had almost passed for the youth to forget how cold the monsoon was. The orange-masked turtle shuddered at once, and Don's arm protectively encircled his shell.

Blue eyes shifted with paranoia, searching the grounds Leonardo guided them across like they were on a casual stroll through the park.

"Where are all the people?" Mike asked, teeth chattering at once.

Leonardo motioned over his shoulder, pointing to an illuminated set of buildings off to their right. Focusing on them made the life inside seem obvious, but the nine-year-old had been caught up in the distraction of how cold and disappointed he was.

_It's a good thing the guys found us before I managed to make things any worse._

"The conditions appear to have driven workers inside. According to the radio, the rain is supposed to break in another hour or so. The best time to move feels like now," Leo explained.

"Are we sure everyone is contained indoors?" Donny's voice struggled to remain steady.

"No, but we don't have much choice, do we? This doesn't feel nearly as bad as some other things we did tonight."

Donatello looked unhappy, but he didn't disagree with the teen. "Whatever you think, Leo."

Mike wiped off the rainwater streaming down his forehead and shielded his eyes from the elements. He was a little concerned that Raphael hadn't joined them yet, and Leonardo didn't mention where he was either. "Leo, Raph didn't get mad or something, did he?"

A surprising chuckle left the blue-masked turtle's mouth.

"Why is that funny?"

"It's not really, and Raph _has _gotten mad a few times," Leonardo admitted. "But after a night like this one, I'm glad his temper might be the worst thing I have to face for a while. I mean, besides..." The teen fumbled the ending,

Leo looked down at their father and instantly became more serious. "We have to get him home. Don, will you tell me your idea when we got onboard?"

"Sure I will, but you need to help me wrangle the truth out of Mikey too."

The teen hesitated to look between them. "What truth?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Donny filled in.

The purple-masked turtle's arm withdrew from Mike suddenly. Donny spun on heel at the same time as the youngest turtle felt a small twinge in his stomach. The nine-year-old blinked rapidly, shocked to find his missing brother right behind them, with hands nearly resting on Donatello's shoulders.

"Don't even think about it," the ten-year-old snapped.

Raphael offered a cocky grin. "See, Genius? Now ya can say I taught you something about awareness."

"More like you want me to fear my own shadow," Don complained.

"To be fair, there was never anything to be scared of," Leo pointed out. "You could say Raph was testing your reflexes in a high stress situation, so that would make the exercise effective. He and I _can_ still teach you a couple of things."

Donatello sent a suspicious glance between the older turtles. "The two of you teaming up on awareness training? Sounds like an invitation to stay awake for a few days."

Michelangelo peered over his brothers curiously when they started making progress toward the boat again. "You guys...really got along?"

Raphael snorted. "We ain't never killed each other, Chucklehead. Did you think we'd murder someone in their sleep the second Sensei wasn't watching?"

"It looked like you wanted to before," Mike replied stiffly. "Your last fight was no joke." He switched to gaze at Donny. "I kinda didn't want to leave you with them at all."

Don's face softened. "Thanks, Mikey. But they did well, for the most part."

The youth had a hard time believing the words. "They honestly didn't fight?"

Leo cleared his throat. "We _are_ still standing right next to you."

"They had their moments," the purple-masked turtle allowed. "But we're here. That tells you everything you need to know."

Mike nodded his head, but inwardly, thoughts churned anxiously. _There are still a ton of things no one has said, and I haven't come close to telling the whole truth either. Not looking forward to it, in any case._

* * *

While Michelangelo was glad to be settled on the ship, the young turtle hadn't been able to relax. What little heat he'd been able to recover was gone, and he couldn't stop trembling in the natural coolness of the cargo hold. If he was feeling it this badly, he couldn't imagine how uncomfortable his father had to be.

"We won't go far," he heard Leonardo hiss. "It'll be fine, Don, I promise."

"Just _hurry_, okay?" Donny half-pleaded.

The weariness in the ten-year-old's voice made Mike cringe. The youth finally released the shaky breath he'd been holding once his older brothers were gone again, leaving him alone with Don and their prone Sensei.

"They didn't have to go, at least, not because of me," The orange-masked declared through clenched teeth.

"It wasn't only for you," Donny clarified. "We all need to warm up."

"The one you need to worry about is Sensei," Mike filled in. "Why can't you focus on _him_?"

"I am focusing on him, Mike. That doesn't mean I'll ignore you."

"But this is no big deal. I'm fine."

Chocolate brown eyes held his gaze meaningfully. "We both know that's not true."

"Donny, you've had plenty of time to see that I'm okay. I barely have a few scratches-"

"You're not normal," Don informed him. "Your temperature, pulse-rate, even your coloring is out of whack."

"I'll warm back up, and be all right. I don't mind the guys leaving to find stuff for Master Splinter, but you gotta make sure he gets the attention he needs. There's no reason to get distracted by me."

"I have a couple good reasons to keep an eye on you too; the obvious one being how cold you are."

"But Otosan-"

"Is naturally warm-blooded. His mutation and body chemistry is different than ours, and he's never demonstrated the same severity of symptoms as we have when it comes to heat loss."

"You guys are mostly cold-blooded too," Mike said defensively.

"This is still hitting you harder than us. There could be any number of contributing factors, but I'd rather get to the root of things, Mikey. Tell me what happened. You don't have to give me a complete rundown. I get that there are some things you probably don't want to repeat.

"That being said, physically speaking, I know you're hiding stuff. The best way to help both of you would be in coming clean. Did you get trapped by accident? Or was it something more?"

The orange-masked turtle squirmed awkwardly under his brother's imploring eyes. "Well...uh..."

"It's only you and me, Mike. I understand you feel responsible for all of this, but I'm not going to judge you either way. Tell me what happened."

"It _was _my fault. I'm the idiot who touched it."

"What did you touch?"

With a tremendous sigh, the youth stared at the floor. "Okay. So, when we first got to Reid's, Sensei and I looked around real quiet like for a few minutes. That was before we found a couple of shipping containers wide open, with no one else around.

"Master Splinter showed me exactly what to do with the crates, and how to make it look like we'd never been there. We worked together for a little bit, until Sensei said he heard something closer by. He wanted to check it out, but he told me to stay in the container.

"Otosan said not to take anything except the food." His voice wavered, but he wasn't sure if it was from cold, or the effort of letting the story out. He paused again, hating that he had to explain any of it.

"You can tell me," Don urged.

It was easier to focus on the ground once more than on the stupid things he'd done.

"I found a coat, laying around. Reminded me of Raph's bomber jacket, but it was a lot nicer. I was thinking about the last scene I wrote with my spy, and how she would look in it. She''s the one I tried to explain to you before, when you were busy."

Donatello winced. "I'm sorry. I want to hear about your story, but I also need to know what the jacket had to do with getting trapped."

"I'm not really sure what happened," Mike said weakly. "Otosan seems to remember more than me at that point. The one thing I know is, I wasn't gonna keep the coat. I only wanted to try it on, okay? But then I got to feeling weird."

"Weird how?"

"I was super heavy. One second everything was normal, and the next, it felt like I'd gained a thousand pounds. I was tired too. Last thing I remember was sitting down to rest."

His brother's brow furrowed. "Because of a jacket? Are you sure you didn't come down with something? Were you feeling okay when you went out the other night?"

"There was nothing wrong with me, Donny, honest. It was something else. Master Splinter found me down for the count, and a human dude looking for the jacket. When Sensei got the coat off me, he found some strange powder left behind. The same stuff ended up getting on him too, and then Otosan got tired."

Donatello sat up straighter with a jerk, his soothing expression immediately gone. "You were _drugged?_"

"Sensei said that was what it looked like. But we're okay now. It took Master Splinter longer to wake up completely, 'cause the junk had settled into his fur."

The purple-masked turtle leaped to his feet and glanced back and forth between Mike and their father. "That's...no...it..." His struggle for coherent speech was odd. Don's mumbled curse surprised the young turtle even more.

"Donny, we're fine," Mike insisted swiftly. "I guess Sensei isn't yet, but that's because-"

"Mike, listen. You guys might have been really lucky, but there could still be residual effects from whatever drug was in your system. Don't you remember when Sensei tried giving Raph Nyquil?*"

The memory made Mike stiffen. It was impossible to forget the two days Raphael had spent unresponsive after the half-dose of medicine.

"Okay, I get why it worries you. But why'd the Nyquil do that, when this new stuff only took us out for a few hours?" He hadn't been sure of the original timeline until his brothers confirmed how long they'd really been gone.

"I can't answer that yet. I know we don't metabolize the ingredients in those compounds the same way a human does." Donny sent Splinter a harried glance. "Shell. Now I have to wake him up."

"You can do that?"

"Sensei isn't really unconscious, Mike. Master Splinter has been meditating heavily to ward off the progression of shock and deal with the pain. But this is really important, so..."

Donatello crouched over their father, running a finger over his jawline until locating a certain spot. The tight gasp with which the rat emerged made Mike bite his lip so hard, he felt the skin break. The purple-masked turtle grasped Splinter's arm strongly to try and settle him.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Master, but I have a couple of things to ask you about."

"Where are we?" Splinter asked hoarsely.

"On the lower deck of a ship that's going to get us home," Don reassured him. "Mikey was just telling me about the two of you getting drugged. I was hoping you might have a little more information for me."

Splinter's bleak look worried Michelangelo. "One of the young men, he called it...Chrono. I have not heard the term."

Donny cocked his head. "I feel like I might have, as a nickname for something. I'll put it on the list to research with everything else."

"You must sleep...at some point." Splinter's reproach made Mike chuckle.

"I won't have much choice," Don agreed, sending another look over his shoulder to Mike before turning back to Splinter. "But I'm paranoid about the effects the drug had on you guys. You're both going to be under my supervision for a while."

"There are herbal elements that will help to detoxify," Splinter mentioned.

"Yeah, like the Niacin, I remember," Donatello said thoughtfully. "I, uh...might need to take more than the scraps from that one store, Sensei."

The rat lifted his head a couple inches. "I do not want you stealing."

"I know, but unless I can get a larger amount than what they end up throwing away...it's going to mean searching out more of the specialty stores that carry it. Most of the product they discard isn't usable. I'm sure I could find some more places which stock it if I search the internet, and I bet the guys would help if I ask."

When Splinter's hand flailed to reach him, Don bent down to make it easier. "It will be all right," the rat strained to speak louder, more insistent.

"I'm not going to ignore what might be wrong, Sensei. That won't help either of you."

"Work together with your brothers," the rat said, duress making him shorter.

"We will," Donny encouraged him. "You should go back under now, Otosan. Your meditation is helping control the physical effects of the trauma, and I don't want you to suffer unnecessarily."

With trembling fingers, Splinter squeezed the ten-year-old's arm. "I can do so because of you. All of you. Take care of the others..."

Donatello nodded emphatically. "We worked together to escape, and we're getting that much closer to home. We're gonna make it."

The purple-masked turtle arranged his bag so that their father was partially propped up to keep his head off the floor.

"Where are your brothers?" Splinter didn't quite relinquish control yet.

"Looking for blankets or coats. We have to warm up."

Michelangelo was glad his brother didn't mention _him_ by name, but it still sounded like Splinter would require more coaxing to relax again. He shuffled over to the rat, and settled down on his other side.

"We're staying out of trouble, Otosan. We've got Leo and Donny to keep us on track," he quipped.

Onyx eyes searched Mike out at once. "How will we get home?"

Donny gripped their father's hand stronger. "You don't need to worry about it, Sensei."

"I will continue to worry, if no one tells me."

Donatello was obviously annoyed by Splinter's stubbornness. "Our current boat is supposed to depart around 7am, giving us about two hours or so before we leave. The sun will be up by the time we dock again, but there's a chance we won't need to address another shipyard at all."

"What do you mean, Donny?" Mike inserted. "Why wouldn't we have to face another shipyard?"

"Because the waterway it takes falls along the same route as a number of storm drains, Mikey. There are parts of the old sewer system that still collide with the Bay. If we jump off at the right place, we could literally abandon ship and head straight underground.

"It's not what I prefer to do with Sensei in this condition, but it's safer than risking our shells in broad daylight again. I've seen enough humans over the past two days to last me for the rest of my life."

"They're not all bad," Michelangelo pointed out. "It was thanks to a couple of kids that Otosan and I got out of the container. They didn't mean to help at the time, but they cooperated with us later too."

Don gave him a strange look. "Did you make some new friends, Mikey?"

Michelangelo laughed at the idea. "Nah, bro. We didn't even let them see us. I'm just saying, some of them are okay. The one cop gave us a head-start too, didn't he?"

Donatello made a scoffing sound. "After what they did to us, it was the least the guy could do." He looked back down at their Master, and appeared to study him closer.

Mike couldn't tell if the rat had passed out from exhaustion, or was meditating. In any case, Splinter's eyes were firmly closed and his breathing slowed. He crossed arms over his plastron to compensate for chills still racking his body and turned to Don.

"Is he gonna be all right?" the youth felt compelled to whisper.

"Medical shock is a dangerous condition. I'm glad he has a way to combat it," Donny answered softly. "As far as anything else...I won't know until I get my hands on some more research. I will do everything I can."

"I'll help you find herbs, Donny." Mike brightened as another though occurred to him. "We should set him up in the school room. It's warmer than anywhere else in the den."

Donny seemed to consider it. "There's more space too, but it would be better if I moved my computer in. That way, I won't have to be separated from him while I'm working." He gazed down suddenly with an overwhelmed look. "It's not gonna be easy."

"Yeah, but this isn't just you," Mike said at once. "The rest of us will find food, help get herbs, and take care of Otosan. This isn't only your job."

"No, it's not." Leo joined them unexpectedly, startling both youth.

The orange-masked turtle's head snapped toward the door, where his older brothers were standing. A mishmash of bright yellow coats were strewn over their shoulders, and a stack of worn-looking blankets were in Leonardo's arms.

The blue-masked turtle grimaced apologetically. "They're pretty thin and probably not that clean, but-"

Don didn't let him finish, jumping to his feet to take the pile from Leo's arms. "Thanks, guys." He immediately wrapped one around Splinter and gave Mike a look. "Get covered up again, and conserve your heat."

Leonardo followed with an order of his own. "You too, Donny. You're gonna have to get some sleep."

The ten-year-old looked appalled. "I can't rest yet-"

"You have to," Leo directed sternly.

"But I haven't told you my thoughts or anything! We have so much to figure out, and I'm going to need help-"

"That's a given," Raph retorted gruffly, and handed Mike one of the yellow coats. "Put this thing on, and you can go back to sleep too."

"We need to set Master Splinter up in the school room when we get home," Mike blurted out, so the subject could be broached faster. "Don's stuff needs to go in there too. We can make it like a mini hospital."

"We're not there yet," Don protested, like he anticipated a fight with the others.

"Doesn't hurt to think ahead," the teen clipped. "You may know more about his medicine and first aid than the rest of us, but you still have to let us help, Donny. Are you gonna be able to do that?"

"Yes," he answered, irritated. "I can't do it all."

"Dang right about that, Genius," Raphael told him. "Right now, ya don't need to do anything."

"We still have to discuss where we're getting off," Donatello continued.

"I want to hear your thoughts," Leo acknowledged. "But get something down first." He produced a bottle of sweet tea that made the purple-masked turtle cringe.

"Would it be impossible to rustle up some real caffeine? There's gonna be a lot to do when we get home."

"We're limited to what we could find in our immediate surroundings," Leo replied. "And you don't need caffeine when you're supposed to be sleeping for a while."

Raphael eyed the genius suspiciously. "What are you talking about caffeine for anyhow? Sensei has never brought you any of that stuff. He don't even believe in soda."

Don exchanged a quick glance with Mike, mutely commanding him not to open his mouth. The nine-year-old had kept his brother's secretly building coffee habit to himself thus far. To his knowledge, even Splinter was unaware. It had begun with a tiny pot Donny had found in the conference room at the Library, and expanded into a practice that occurred on nearly every binge study session the ten-year-old performed there.

"I'm not into soda either," Donny said evenly. "That's not the only drink which contains caffeine."

"What are you talking about then?" Leo pressed.

"Never mind," Don dismissed. "It's only wishful thinking anyway."

_Yeah, until he's on hour three of research behind a computer, and can barely keep his eyes open._

"Can we go over our escape route real quick?" Donny requested. "I have an idea that Raph is probably gonna like."

"Yeah? Why's that, brainiac?"

"Because it involves jumping off the boat before it docks."

Raphael's grin widened. "You're finally seeing stuff my way. Need to get ya good and tired out more often."

* * *

***Nyquil is not mine. And there IS a reason the drugs affected them differently. More on that a little later. We don't have far to go. I took this story to 35 chapters.**


	29. Lucky

Lingering rain showers made Leonardo not feel as awkward for donning the same yellow-slicker rain gear they'd found on their first boat. They were on the final leg of their journey, but it didn't completely quell the nerves rocketing through his gut.

He had been huddled in a small stairway with his brothers for a few minutes now, with their possible drop-off point coming up at any time. _That's if Donny's calculations for the distance we've traveled lines up with how long it's taken the boat to get here. They only estimate arrival times for a reason. I don't doubt his abilities, but Don can't control the ship, and we have no idea where we currently are. If we end up in the wrong place, we'll be too far from land or stranded in the open._

Leo peered through the small, circular window in the door, and instantly ducked when he sensed movement on the other side. He was tempted to curse, but the mere knowledge that his Master was close by to potentially hear him forced the teen to remain silent.

_We can't hang around here forever. Someone will want to use these stairs eventually. This would be so much simpler if we could figure out where we are!_

Though Leonardo had only catnapped for a few minutes here and there during the ride, he was too nervous to be tired. Anxious energy coursed through his veins and left him feeling like they needed to bolt.

Raphael got to his feet to join him. "Y'know, I'm not opposed to putting a couple more guys to sleep if we have to, bro. It's not like we're hurting 'em."

"I'm not completely against it either, Raph. The problem is not knowing where in the shell we are. If we do this too soon, we'll be caught in open water. None of us are prepared to swim that far."

"Don told us where the boat was heading-"

"That doesn't mean they're on schedule. I just... I wanna know we're in the right place before we take off. I need to see outside, but..." He faltered, glancing through the window again. "There is a table of four men, playing cards a few feet away from the door."

Donny came up quietly behind them. The ten-year-old looked a _little_ better, but Leo had a feeling he could use quite a bit more sleep. _Which he's not going to get for a while. _

Still, he stepped aside for his purple-masked brother, and Don squinted through the window longer than Leonardo was comfortable with.

"I see a corded phone on the wall," Don commented. "Maybe these guys could help us out."

"How do you figure?" Raph demanded warily.

"We need to know where we are, right?" Donatello shrugged. "It's worth a shot. I might be able to get rid of them too."

"You keep a phone in that shell of yours now?" Raphael's condescending attitude nearly earned a swat from Leo, but the teen decided to have mercy.

_Everyone is tired and irritable._

_ "_How would we call them?" Leonardo asked instead.

"Mike noticed a phone box down another landing," Don said matter-of-factly. "I had to stop him from trying to use it."

Raphael glanced at the orange-masked turtle cradling their father in his lap. "Seriously, Shellhead? Who were you gonna call? You wanna make some more friends at the news station?"

"They sure like me more than you," Mike retorted. "Channel 6 doesn't even know you exist. The Turtle Titan, however, will forever be one of their greatest mysteries."

Leonardo rubbed his temples wearily. "What's the point of playing with the phone?"

"I was gonna see if I could rustle up some room service," Mike said innocently. "Someone on this ship has to have decent food."

Don groaned. "I think Leo was talking to_ me_, Mike. The point is to connect with the men on the other side of that door. I even saw a phone guide."

"And you know what all those numbers go to? What are your chances of ringing up the correct guys?"

"I'll try a few of the numbers. You stay up here, and tell me when their phone rings." Donny sounded so reasonable, Leo couldn't bring himself to disagree.

"Okay, Don. Go."

His purple-masked brother didn't need another invitation. He trotted back down the flight of stairs, and Raphael went to stand on the landing to bridge the gap between them.

"I can see him, Leo."

"Just tell me when he starts dialing."

"If he's calling someone anyway, why not order a pizza? We could try one while it's actually _hot_," the orange-masked turtle whined.

"No one's ordering a darn pizza, shell-fer-brains," Raph said heatedly. "How they supposed to get it out to a ship?"

"They need a helicopter, or...I know, a drone! A drone that delivers pizza in fifteen minutes, or it's free! That'll be the next big thing."

"Stop thinking about your stomach, Mikey. We're still trying to get off the stupid boat. If you shut up right now, I'll find ya whatever you want to eat after it gets good and dark tonight."

Mike's head jerked at the offer. "Thanks for letting me know, Raphy. Gives me time to come up with a list."

"It's not gonna happen unless you keep your mouth shut for the next thirty minutes."

"Psht, is that all? I can pretend you don't exist for that long."

Leo tried to ignore their talking and focus on the window, hoping for the phone to actually ring. Minutes ticked by while nothing happened, except for his brothers continuing to bicker in the background.

"I could go two _weeks_ without looking at your ugly mug," Raph challenged. "But you can't be quiet for five minutes."

"What will you give me if I do?"

"You wanna know what I'll do if you _don't_ shut up, Pipsqueak?"

"Guys, cut it out," the blue-masked turtle finally ordered. "Raph, what is Don doing?"

"Still trying different numbers. Ya think I ain't paying attention? I can argue with Mikey in my sleep."

"I like it when he does," Michelangelo added. "It's harder for him to hurt me that way."

Leonardo had the vague sensation his head was going to explode. "Mike, zip it. Raph, focus on Donny please."

"You're supposed to be waiting on the phone, Leo, not getting distracted by us," Raph retorted.

"I'm _trying_ to pay attention!"

The soft squeal of the steps preceded Don arriving on the landing.

"Can you guys stop it? I don't need all this weird background noise when I'm using the phone. _Work_ with me," he pleaded.

Leonardo winced at his desperate tone, but nodded his agreement. "Sorry, Donny. I'm gonna pay attention on my end."

Raph muttered something under his breath, but the teen's sharp look resulted in the red-masked turtle lowering to the first step while Donatello went back down. The moment Michelangelo returned to his position looking after Splinter, his worried expression resumed.

Leonardo curiously surveyed both brothers, watching the tension wash back over Raphael's frame like a tidal wave. _It has a purpose, _he realized. _Their ridiculous bickering takes the edge off their stress._

There was no time to delve further into their behavior, because he was supposed to be waiting for the other phone to ring. _How long can those men play this game? I guess they don't have other duties while the ship is en-route? Never realized how much humans screw around._

The blue-masked turtle felt like he was zoning out a little as exhaustion crept up on him. He quietly slapped his cheeks to wake himself up, widening dark eyes in time to watch one of the men rise from his chair, and head for the wall. Hope spiked when he saw the the phone lifted from the cradle, and he spun toward Raphael.

"It's the right one! Tell, Don, quick!"

He heard Raphael call down to their brother, but honed in on the man with the phone. Leo couldn't help wondering what Don was saying to the guy, but definitely wasn't prepared for his red-masked brother to catch him by the shoulder.

"Move, we gotta go, now!"

When Leo turned around, he noticed Mike was already out of sight, and Raph was grasping Splinter over his shoulder.

"Bro, c'mon!" his brother urged.

"What are we doing?"

"I'll tell ya in a minute! Come on!"

At the sound of a breaking fixture, Leo didn't ask any more questions. When they made it to the next level down, Donny was hanging up the phone and motioning wildly for them to go. Leonardo still had no clue what was happening, until he noticed the broken shards of lights on the landing beneath them.

Mike waved to him from the shadows underneath the staircase, hanging off the steps like a bat. The teen kicked off the wall and launched into the air, wedging himself on the underside of the stairs too. Donatello quickly mimicked the move, scrambled against the wall beside him.

"Give us Sensei!" Leo instructed.

He freed up one hand while maintaining the position with his other arm and feet, and Donny did the same to help with the rat. They supported Splinter silently between them while Raphael jumped onto the dark underside of the stairs too.

"What did you say?" Leo whispered finally.

Donny didn't have time to answer before he heard the door opening, and jovial voices rang out from the floor above them. Pounding footsteps followed, including laughter which made it sound like the four men had won the lottery.

"We lose another light?"

"Eh, we can phone it in later. Move, before she changes her mind!"

The teen gave his ten-year-old brother a look. _She?_

Donatello only grinned in response, staying silent while the men kept descending past them.

Raphael was the first to jump down when they'd gone, holding out his arms to accept Splinter back from them.

"Bro, what was that?" Leonardo couldn't wait any longer to find out.

"I got the info we need," he explained. "We're about ten minutes away from our right channel. We have to get in position."

"But where are the men going?"

"I told them I was down on the tween deck with a couple bored colleagues and a bottle of gin. Might have mentioned one was a girl."

Leonardo couldn't help smiling tiredly. He hadn't _wanted_ to hurt someone else, and was grateful for Donny merely diverting them. "Thanks, Don."

His brother's return grin was strangely abashed. "I think we ought to just jump."

"No looking first? Doesn't sound like you," Leo teased.

"Right now, I'd dive off a cliff if it got us out of here."

"Gonna have to stop you there, Don."

The teen paused to glance out the window once more, and then inched the door open slowly. He looked left and right, cautiously tightening the hood of his raincoat in case anyone else was around, but didn't see a soul.

The scent of the sea hit him hard when the breeze picked up, and Leo glanced back to find his brothers standing quietly by. "Donny, if you say we're close enough, I'm down."

Donatello trotted to the end of the covered deck, leaning over the railing. "There are at least four access points to the sewers along this particular channel. If we have time, we can simply wait for one to come up. Otherwise, we'll have to swim for it."

"I think we need to wake Splinter up for this," Leo suggested.

Don nodded, motioning to Raphael. The purple-masked turtle used the gentlest of pressure on the Sensei's neck to rouse him. Bleary eyes didn't focus at once, but after blinking, his irises suddenly widened.

"What is happening?" Splinter's panic over finding them in the open was tangible.

"We're getting off, Otosan," Leo told him. "Probably need to go completely underwater to make sure the boat misses us."

Holding their breath wasn't a problem for the turtles. Though Master Splinter couldn't go without oxygen as long as them, he had refined the skill over the course of the last several years. _Under normal conditions, that is._

"Sensei, can you hold your breath?"

Splinter's eyes narrowed somewhat. "I may be broken, but I am not useless, Leonardo. I can last for a little while."

Don glanced over the edge of the boat. "You'll have to climb most of the way down with him, Raph. Let me get Sensei braced properly, and then I think you ought to go first. We shouldn't all jump in at once."

Donatello's improvised harness for Splinter included a pair of bungee cords, some rope, and a belt they'd gleaned over the course of their time on the boat. Leonardo was impressed by what his younger brother had jerry-rigged, but Raphael looked nervous.

"I'll go slow, Sensei. I don't wanna hurt ya worse."

A furry hand rested on Raphael's shell. "It will be all right. Go, musuko."

Leo swallowed deeply while the red-masked turtle carefully climbed the railing, using another line Donny cast over the side to provide extra support for the descent. Making it closer to the water felt like it took an hour, but the teen figured it was probably much shorter.

Not until Raphael hovered in position right over the bay did the blue-masked turtle encourage his younger brothers to go. "Sorry you have to sacrifice some supplies, Donny."

Don shook his head. "I can replace all of it. The maps and itineraries mean nothing now. Let's go, Mikey."

"Warming up for my cannonball, bro."

"Don't you _dare_," Don insisted.

Leonardo was close to chiding him too, when he noticed a welcoming sight in the distance. "Don, is that a drain?" He pointed to a tunnel excitedly, which appeared to be about a quarter of a mile from them.

"I bet it will work," Donny confirmed. "Head under, Mike!"

Without any more hesitation Donatello jumped the railing, and Mike was directly on his heels. Leo waited until they landed before climbing on the rail himself, and diving over the side.

He anticipated the water being cold, but it still partially took his breath away upon being immersed. Instead of staying under, Leo rapidly surfaced to help steady their Sensei's pending arrival in the water with Raphael.

"Master, are you okay?" He watched his red-masked brother slide into the bay off the side of the ship, with all the gentleness he'd ever employed.

"I am all right," he answered faintly. "I will be," Splinter finished stronger. The rat's head turned slightly to glance back up at the boat with a wince. "Get us underwater, so we are assured to avoid notice. I can hold my breath."

_I wonder if he can still block out the pain at the same time, _Leo wondered fleetingly, but merely nodded at Raph to do it.

The blue-masked turtle plunged under the surface, immediately opening his eyes to try and keep track of the others. He pointed his head down to avoid floating and swam up behind Raphael to monitor Splinter.

They remained closely bunched so that they were nearly on top of each other, but it was preferable to not knowing where his brothers were. Leonardo tried to keep track of passing minutes at the same time. Under regular constraints, his father had worked up to about eight minutes without oxygen. Given his current condition, the teen didn't want to tax him unnecessarily.

_The use of meditation could push it further, but I'd rather not make him do it. Master Splinter has been through too much._

He made an exaggerated motion for his brothers to stay put while he surfaced again and looked around. Leo saw the ship now ahead of them, but couldn't identify anyone panicking or appearing to look their direction at all. It seemed their departure had gone unnoticed.

Again he dove, catching Raphael's arm to direct him to return to the surface. The red-masked turtle looked relieved but still emerged slowly, watching for danger.

"I could have gone longer," the rat complained, once he'd taken a couple of good breaths.

"You shouldn't have to, Otosan," Leo replied.

Splinter tiredly rested his head against Raphael's shell. "I do not care. I want to leave this place."

The teen smiled. "We're not far from a drain, Master. We're going to make it."

"Good. Then I will rest." The rat never lifted his head from the red-masked turtle's back.

Leo exchanged a worried glance with his brother. _We _have_ to get him home._

* * *

Leonardo had never been so glad to see a sewer in his entire life. He felt the weight of their difficult evening wearing on his legs somewhat, but wasn't tempted to slow down. Donatello was the only one who forced them to stop from time to time, so he could interpret the numbers faintly ingrained in tunnel walls to determine where they were under the street.

The teen kept an eye on each of his brothers in turn, verifying that everyone was keeping up without difficulty. He was grateful for the third or fourth wind his purple-masked brother in particular seemed to catch, but also paranoid.

_Don will try to do too much if we let him. We need a solid plan for what everyone is going to do before we arrive._

"Okay, we all know Sensei is going to be the priority," Leo spoke up. "What needs to happen first, Donny?"

"Master Splinter's bed and my computer have to be moved into the classroom. I want him to be as comfortable as possible, but..." Don hesitated, thinking. "The sheets have to be pulled. We need one of the other..." He cut off with a groan. "There's so much to do."

"All right, stop," Leonardo ordered. "Don't get overwhelmed. We're helping you. What do we need to do?"

"There will be a huge infection risk from the bay. I need to sanitize, cauterize and clean wounds before I do anything else for him."

"Yeah, and what about yours?" Mike pressed.

"I'll get to it," Don snapped, but looked sorry at once. Then he focused on Leo. "Can you steep one of Sensei's recipes? I think we still have some of the pain blend already mixed up. It just needs to be brewed."

"No problem. I will do that once we have space cleared out for his bed. Do you want us touching your computer?"

"No," he answered quickly. "I'll do that. Won't get to it for a little while, not until Sensei is cleaned up and his head stitched."

"What else can we do?" Raph cut in. "How do we help you?"

"Um...well...I _need _caffeine," he confessed. "I also need to eat, but then, we all do."

The slow clap Raphael followed with made the teen send him a murderous glance.

The red-masked turtle had the decency to look sheepish. "I might have something stashed away that could help, Don. A guy broke a 12pack of Mountain Dew* last week-"

"You saved those?" Leo's reaction was instantly testy, but then realized it could come in handy.

"That will work for the short term," Don agreed.

"Oh! I have chocolate too, or...I did." Mike looked at his waterlogged backpack sadly.

"Donny can't subsist on sugar anyway," Leonardo told him. "He needs real food, which fortunately, we have some of."

Mike perked up at the announcement. "From where?"

Don smiled triumphantly. "Saint Andrew's pantry. I turned off their alarm."

Michelangelo rocked on his heels excitedly. "You got good stuff? Tell me you got good stuff!"

"Only a little on the fresh side," Don explained. "But we got a nice supply of canned goods and nonperishables that won't go bad quickly too."

The youth rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I'll feed ya, Donny. Did you guys grab any macaroni and cheese?"

"Mikey, you need some rest too-" Leonardo started.

"Not as much as everyone needs to eat. It won't even take that long."

Leonardo decided not to argue for the present, but wasn't going to let him off the hook entirely. "Don, we're gonna be checking on you constantly. You still have to speak up when you need something faster."

The teen turned to glance at Raph. "Are you okay with Sensei? How is your head? I can take another turn."

Their father was still in the harness, draped over the red-masked turtle's back.

"Nah, this is working out good. Saves my arms a little."

"Are you admitting to getting tired?"

"Who are you kidding, Leo? We _all _look like hell, 'cause we just got back from there."

Leo didn't say anything at once. In a sense he agreed with his brother, but at the moment, he simply felt grateful. On a whim he stopped to face his family with such a serious look that he noticed them tense up.

"Bro, ya okay?" Raphael asked.

"Yeah. Somehow, we all are. We essentially committed suicide, and lived to tell about it."

"Then we didn't actually commit suicide," Don said logically. "Because we'd be dead."

"We should be, or, I feel like we ought to be," Leonardo added. "I don't know how we got through any of it, let alone the entire night. I'm pretty sure we got very lucky."

Raphael's scoff was offended. "Lucky? We ran for our lives. Got shot at more times than I can count. Somebody hit us with a flash grenade. We had half the NYPD breathing down our necks, and barely made it past 'em. How in the shell is any of that lucky?"

"What about the van on the first boat?" Leo pointed out. "We had no idea it would be there, but it was the perfect camouflage in broad daylight."

"Well, I guess, but-"

"And the fire hose in that building under construction? What if it hadn't been there?"

"It would have been bad," Donny filled in. "Maybe we could have found something else-"

"How about 'stumbling' onto the Crypt's secret cache of weapons? Or the perfect phony get away vehicle? None of those things feel lucky, guys?"

"Kinda, I guess," Raphael allowed. "But all of that was wrapped up in a huge load of crap which shoulda killed us. If that stuff was luck, what was the rest of it?"

Leo chuckled, though he didn't understand why. "It was our own version of turtle luck, I suppose. A whole lot of hell, with just enough breaks factored in for us to survive. It felt impossible. But we're here! How is _that _possible?"

Leo didn't expect an answer, but Mike's belly laugh filled up the space.

"You just called it, Leo. It was turtle luck. I think that's totally our thing now."

Raph shook his head stubbornly. "I still say it felt like _no_ luck. But we're all here so...you guys can call it whatever you want."

"You're surrendering an argument?" Michelangelo was incredulous. "Chalk up another victory for turtle luck!"

If he wasn't carrying their injured father on his back, Raphael probably would have pounced on him. Leo enjoyed a silent inner laugh of his own at the hothead being incapable of chasing down Mikey.

_Turtle luck is a thing indeed._

* * *

***Mountain Dew belongs to Pepsi Co.**


	30. Healing

Donatello winced while using a razor on his Sensei's fur, despite knowing it wasn't going to hurt. _I'm paranoid because he's already in a lot of pain, and there's not much I can do for it. Herbal remedies can only go so far. Honestly, he could probably help himself more than I can._

He was temporarily distracted by the thought of a study he'd run across on mindful meditation a couple of weeks prior. _There was some conclusive evidence that it's possible to reduce the mind's perception of pain. But someone hurt like Master Splinter needs rest, not to focus all their energy on "mind over matter". If only there was a way to get him something stronger, that wouldn't have the potential of harming or killing him..._

Don shuddered at the thought of whatever his father and brother had been accidentally dosed with. He wanted to look up Chrono that instant, and learn about other danger signs to watch for. The lack of internet service gave him no choice except to wait.

He sent his computer a lingering glance, then returned his attention to the rat's head injury. The process wasn't that difficult; it was simply nerve-wracking and uncomfortable to be in the position of doing it on his own. A part of the purple-masked turtle wanted to finish the job and sew his Sensei up as quickly as possible, but he couldn't hurry through the task.

Instead Don shaved and cleaned at a snail's pace, while trying to keep his mind on task. His thoughts naturally drifted to the limited herbal remedies they had available._ Naturally based medications are the only safe products Splinter has determined so far. But in some cases, they just aren't adequate for the size of the problem. _

_ It might be possible to chemically alter some of their properties to _boost_ their effectiveness, yet...I don't know how to do something like that, and wouldn't have the means to pull it off if I did. This is probably nothing but an impossible dream, but it's still interesting to think about. When I'm not supposed to be focusing on something else._

The ten-year-old closed his eyes briefly and released a deep breath. _Don't get overwhelmed. You can't do everything at once. Focus. Only on one thing. Get Sensei stitched up._

Donny redirected the head of a small lamp closer to where he was working. He didn't want it shining in his Master's face, but he needed to see what he was doing. Donatello kept expecting the rat to stir or move during the drawn out process, but Splinter never seemed to wake up.

_Is it because he's meditating that deeply? Or is he getting worse, and I failed to see it?_

The panicked thought almost made the turtle lose it. Don took quick stock of his father's measurable vitals by hand, checking his heart rate, temperature, the pulse in his knee, and ended with his pupils. When he shone a small flashlight too close to Splinter's eyes, his Sensei responded with a rapid blink.

"Sorry, Otosan. Had to convince myself you weren't going into shock. You've been really quiet."

The rat lifted a hand which nearly grazed completed stitches before Donny caught his wrist.

"Don't do that, Master. My work isn't perfect. You don't wanna pull stitches out."

Splinter squinted up at him. "Have you also done your own?"

"Hm?"

"Stitches. You _were_ hurt, musuko."

"Oh. Yeah, it's not that bad, Sensei."

The expression in his dark eyes turned stern momentarily, before glazing back over. "Take care..." he started slowly, but then seemed incapable of elaborating.

"I will, Otosan," he assured him. "It's gonna be all right now. We're home, so the hardest part is over." _Sort of. _Don grimaced over the rat's badly broken leg.

_I don't want to think about the possibilities yet. I should be glad we're all alive, and I am. It's no good to ruin the moment by fearing the worst possible-_

_ "_Donatello?" Splinter's voice called him back from obsessing over what he'd been trying hard to avoid.

"Yes, Sensei?"

A furred hand stretched out, searching for him. Donny moved his arm within his father's reach, allowing him to grab his wrist.

"You must take care of yourself."

"Otosan, don't worry. The guys are helping. They assisted me in setting up the room, Leo is steeping some of the herbs we already had prepared, and Mike is fixing something a little more substantial to eat. We talked Raph into getting some sleep, so we can look after you in shifts. We'll rest, eat, and take care of everything. All you need to focus on is yourself."

"I am distracted," his father admitted.

"I know, because you're worried about us. But you don't need to be, Sensei. We escaped from the cops, made it home against the odds, and worked together the entire way. You can trust us to keep doing that."

There was a light knock at the door, and Leonardo stuck his head in the room.

The blue-masked turtle managed a remarkably normal smile. "You _are_ awake. Good."

The teen slipped into the room, carrying a steaming cup with him. "There was really nothing to it, Don. I found the blend you were talking about."

Donatello nodded somberly. "It was left over from when you sprained your wrist the first time you and Raph...deviated. How much is there now?"

"About a quarter of the container."

Don glanced at his computer again. "I have the inventory and recipes. I think we've got just enough ingredients for me to make another quarter of a batch. Hopefully it will keep him comfortable until later tonight."

"Okay, but you have to write out a list of everything we need in order to restock. The rest of us can handle acquiring things if you're specific about what to get."

"I need to go along for the herb trip. We're probably gonna have to hit more than one place, which will mean leaving the immediate neighborhood."

"You must rest," Splinter insisted, sheer determination gaining a small amount of volume. "My sons...you must."

Leonardo bent down at his side. "We will, Otosan. But we're taking care of you too. Do you think you can get some tea down?"

Donny lowered onto the mattress behind their father to help him sit up. "Try, Sensei, okay?" He couldn't help grinning when Leo blew on the hot liquid, protecting the rat from being scalded.

The purple-masked turtle settled on his knees, wrapping both arms around his Sensei's torso to support his upper body and coax him to drink. "C'mon, Otosan."

There was a brief flash of irritation in Splinter's face, but in the end he allowed the turtles to help him drain most of the cup.

"That has to feel a little better," Leo soothed. "Hopefully you can sleep, Sensei, and not just meditate. Stop worrying about us. Everyone is being looked after, including you."

The rat tried to turn his head toward Donny, and winced with the motion. "Do not forget to eat, my son."

Splinter didn't have to look at Donatello for the turtle to know the comment was directed specifically at him.

"He won't," Leonardo said briskly. "He's about to do that right now."

Don slowly eased their father back down. He watched silently while Splinter's eyes closed, and his breathing deepened more than before.

Leo rose from his crouch. "I'm gonna drop the cup in the kitchen and tell Mike you're ready for him."

"I don't want to leave Sensei though."

"I won't make you, yet. But you're going to have to rest like everyone else. This crap isn't a replacement for sleep." Leonardo nudged the green soda can on the desk. "You're not going to get addicted on me, are you?" The last part sounded more like a jab, so Don smiled.

"Leo, I don't like Mountain Dew that much. I only need the kick." _Be a lot happier if I could get some coffee in my system, but I'm not telling you that._

Leonardo squeezed his shoulder. "I know there's a lot to think about, and many things to do. Remember we can only take one step at a time. Everything is going to work out."

"It will," Donny agreed. He looked back at their father once more, still trying to ignore the horrible state of his leg.

The teen pointed him toward the chair Splinter often taught them from when it came to school lessons. "Take a load off, and get some more caffeine down if you need it. I won't give you a hard time for the next couple hours."

Don felt stiff as he crossed the space to the desk and claimed the chair. He still needed to hook up the computer, complete a medical inventory, and prioritize what ingredients they couldn't live without. _Also gonna have to stop at the library to look up some more stores that stock the herbs we need. I should get info for Splinter's injuries and Chrono while I'm there. I could use a few more hours in the evening._

The unexpected smell of a rare treat hit Donatello and made him spin in the chair. Michelangelo grinned broadly from across the room.

"Got something for you, Donny."

Don almost salivated at the sight of cheesy noodles which were one of his personal favorites. Mike brought his offering forward proudly, and stood by to watch the purple-masked turtle savor his first forkful.

The ten-year-old made it halfway through the serving before glancing at his younger brother guiltily. "This stuff was supposed to be for you and Sensei."

The orange-masked turtle snickered. "'Cause we're the only ones who need to eat? Get real, Donny. I'm not leaving until you finish all of it."

"Did Leo assign you to babysit me?"

"Nah, I did it myself."

"How'd you get this texture of a sauce, Mike? I'm almost think it was real cheese."

"There's evaporated milk mixed in with the other cans you guys boxed up. Everyone needs the calcium."

Donny snorted and instantly tried to cover it up. "I had no idea _what_ we grabbed. We just went down the line of the shelf in the dark and took a few of whatever we could get our hands on."

"You had to break into Saint Andrew's without me. Only place you ever take me is the library. Why'd you wait to do the cool stuff until I was gone?"

"The next time I break into a Food Pantry, I'll try to make sure you're front and center."

"That's all I ask, dude." Mike's smile faded much faster than Donny preferred. "What do you think...um...How's Sensei?"

Donatello wasn't sure how to answer the question. "He came around for a little while. Naturally, he was more concerned for us than himself."

The nine-year-old nodded slowly, but didn't comment. He was staring at their father so bleakly, Don finally felt like he had to intervene.

"Master Splinter isn't dying, Mikey. I know you want answers, but I don't have any yet. He needs to rest, and I have a lot of research ahead of me."

The orange-masked turtle turned to him. "You always have important stuff to do. But is this gonna be too much, Donny? Can you really...is it too much?" The question came up with clear difficulty.

"If I try to do everything at once, it will be. But I'm taking it slow, and all of you are helping. We'll figure it out, okay, Mike? Look where we are right now. We're home, with our entire suicide squad intact."

The youth made a face. "Why do you have to call it suicide too?"

"Because there's nothing we wouldn't have done to get to you guys. Once we knew where you were, it was a wrap. We had to make it, no matter what."

Michelangelo's breath escaped as a shaky gasp. "I almost killed everyone."

Donny shot to his feet, horrified. "No, no you didn't. That isn't what I meant at all."

"It's not what you said, Don. It's what I did."

"_No_," he repeated, volume increasing to drive home his point. "Mikey, this wasn't your fault."

"If you'd gone with Sensei that night instead of me, none of this woulda happened. He wouldn't be like this!"

At the first sign of his brother's tears, the purple-masked turtle snatched Mike in a desperate embrace, but didn't know what else to do. He wracked his brain for ways to convince the young turtle that he wasn't to blame for the events, yet remained flustered while Michelangelo sobbed quietly into his shoulder.

Don's frozen position lasted a few more agonizing seconds, before limited words came to the surface. "It's okay, Mikey. I swear it will be. Master Splinter will be all right-"

"You don't know that!"

He tightened arms around his brother's shell. "It _is_ gonna be okay, because Otosan is alive. We're alive, and everyone's together."

Mike shook his head vigorously. "I don't belong on the surface. I should just stay underground, where I can't ever screw up this bad again. I don't want to hurt anybody."

"You didn't hurt-"

"How would you feel, Donny? If some stupid mistake you made led to all of this?"

"I would...I'd feel bad, if that was actually the case," he admitted bleakly. Discouragement faltered as an idea occured to him. "But what would you tell me?"

"Huh?"

"Trade places with me, bro. Pretend like I made a mistake. Which I did, honestly. If I'd managed to get the grenade away from that cop, Sensei wouldn't have been injured. While trying to protect _me_."

Mike lifted his head at once. "No, Donny," he squeaked. "You had nothing to do with it. You tried to get rid of the grenade-"

"And I failed. You wanna blame someone, you're already looking at him."

"No!" The youth cried forcefully. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't do it. You can't take the blame for what happened to Otosan only because you couldn't catch the grenade first."

Donatello rested both hands on Mike's shoulders and fixed on blue eyes still brimming with tears. "Then you can't take the blame either. If I'm not supposed to feel bad for something that I was in the right place to prevent, you can't feel guilty for everything else. You put on a coat, Mike. You didn't stab anyone in the back, or intentionally stow away in one of those containers. It was an accident – period. If I can't feel guilty, _you_ can't feel guilty."

The nine-year-old sniffed deeply. "I can't help it."

"Then how am I supposed to?"

"But it wasn't-"

"Your fault," Donny finished for him.

"It was-"

"Wasn't," he corrected once more, crushing his little brother against his plastron. "I'll tell you fifty more times if I have to. Just like you'd never quit telling me."

He knew Mike wanted to protest further, but he didn't. Instead he clung to to Don and cried harder.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It. Wasn't. Your. Fault."

"You still not tired of saying it?"

"I will never get tired, Mike. You'll abandon the idea that everything was your doing a long time before I'll let up on you."

* * *

When Splinter came around again, the temptation to open his eyes wasn't strong. He was exhausted from the effort he'd expended to contain a portion of the pain radiating from both head and leg. Despite a burning desire to know what was happening with his young sons, he couldn't bring himself to try moving.

Instead he sniffed the air for what it could reveal, and identified the red-masked turtle nearby at once. Then the rat listened for a reaction, but it didn't appear Raphael knew he was awake.

He heard a shift in the turtle's breathing, such a slight nuance that a casual observer probably wouldn't have noticed. Splinter recognized the controlled exercise as something he'd devised for the twelve-year-old specifically to help combat anxiety.

Curiosity finally led the rat to blink leaden eyes and slowly shift his neck. The pain which accompanied the minute movement made him wince, but he continued seeking out Raphael.

"Sensei?"

A flurry of footsteps announced the turtle's arrival, and he was kneeling on the ground beside the mattress in seconds.

"Otosan, are you all right?"

Splinter studied his son, noting no real injuries on him besides a nasty bruise on the head which was already changing colors.

"I am...here," the rat answered honestly.

"Can I get ya something? Could you drink any water?"

"I do not know if I can sit up. I think it is better not to try...for now."

"Yeah, but you need it, Sensei. It doesn't have to be all that hard. I can help, okay?"

Splinter sighed achingly while Raphael went behind him. He was painfully aware of how frail his own frame suddenly felt. He hated the fact that he'd been reduced to such a helpless state, completely dependent on everyone else to take care of him.

While he didn't want the help his son insisted on providing, Splinter couldn't deny needing water, and begrudgingly appreciating Raphael's persistence. The turtle even maneuvered the straw for him, so his only chore was physically sucking water through it.

_Yet even that seems like too much at the moment._

The arms supporting him from behind felt stronger than Splinter remembered.

_But that could have more to do with my weakened state._

Splinter dutifully worked through several sips of water before his head drifted sideways, unable to support its own weight. Raphael braced a hand under his neck and gingerly helped him lie back down.

"Wasn't so bad, right?" The twelve-year-old sounded uncertain. "Don't gotta wake up Donny just for you to drink something."

Splinter shifted slightly toward him. "Is Donatello all right?"

"He's asleep, Otosan. Leo about had to drag him upstairs, but he got 'im there. Don't worry. We're looking after him and Mikey."

"What about...you and Leonardo?"

Raphael appeared to realize the reason for his true concern. "We're cool, Sensei. We've been working together for days, like you've taught us. It...uh...it wasn't perfect, but we really tried."

"It will _never_ be perfect, Raphael," Splinter rasped, searching for strength to say more. "Does not...need to be. You have always cared for one another."

"We've been shellheads," the red-masked turtle declared. "I'm sorry, Master. I know a lot of it is my fault. I don't mean to get so mad, but I...Sometimes, I can't stop it."

There were many things Splinter wanted to tell him, but his energy was little, so he needed to prioritize. "You love your brother."

"Yeah, Otosan," the rat had to strain to hear his son whisper. "We couldn't...we wouldn't have made it without Leo. I get it. I know why you like him so much."

The longing tone in Raphael's voice struck Splinter as odd. "Leonardo did not act alone. It took...all of you. Everyone. I love your brother very much, musuko. But I also love you."

The mere sight of the turtle shaking his head made the rat feel dizzy.

"Yeah, I know, Sensei. I'm just saying...I understand why you listen to Leo and trust him with stuff. He's good at this. He don't know everything, but...I think he sees way more than I do."

Splinter tried to shift his head again, but a nearly blinding flash of pain made him hesitate. "Raphael, you and Leonardo are different. Your _strengths_ are different. It does not mean I care for one, more than another. You must believe this."

"Sorta. Maybe. But I know I can do better. I want to, even if I'm never gonna be the perfect son. I'm still going to try hard not to let you down again. I've been walking around for days, trying to figure out how to make this right."

Splinter closed his eyes briefly. The conversation felt entirely too important to have when he couldn't add very much to it. "You do not...the past cannot be corrected, Raphael. You can learn from it, but it is impossible to do things over. You must...allow it help shape your future choices," he finished with another grimace.

The rat's breathing felt increasingly shaky while pain resonated stronger in the background. He cursed his body for failing him, but refused to speak of it with Raphael hovering so closely.

"I'm sorry, Otosan. Can I get your tea? Leo's got the herbs set up. They only need to be steeped again."

"How much...do we have?"

"Enough. Leo and Don are gonna track down some more stuff after dark. We're gonna get ya feeling better."

Splinter almost shook his head on impulse. "No. I do not wa..." He paused from necessity, holding his breath to compensate for a knifing spasm through his bad leg.

"You're still scared for us," Raphael noted. "But you don't gotta be. Master, we made it out to Staten Island. Ran from those cops, and got all the way home. Everyone is in one piece, except for you. Quit focusing on something else bad that could happen.

"We'll be fine, okay? I swear you can trust us. You taught me and my bros enough to get by. We ain't done learning, but you've showed us plenty. We were strong, we acted like a team, and we made it. There's nothing left for ya to do right now, except relax and let us handle things. When you're better, you can go back to whipping us into shape. God knows we'll still need it."

Raphael's hand closed around his wrist. "There was a while when I didn't know if you were gonna make it. That was the worst."

Splinter grimaced. "I am sorry, musuko. I did not mean for any of this..." He struggled to finish, though he felt the need to apologize. "I took...too many risks."

"Ya did it for us, Otosan. Everything you ever did was for us. You been there through it all, but now you have to let us take care of you. You've _got_ to."

The rat ignored the instinct to scowl. "I need help. But you must still...be careful."

The red-masked turtle snorted. "Leo will make sure of that. He likes to tell us what to do anyway. Sometimes, he even knows what he's talking about."

Splinter's brow furrowed in amazement. _Did I hallucinate all of this? It seems I must have. It is one thing for them to work together out of necessity, but for Raphael to openly admit to following Leonardo's lead...Signifies a tremendous shift._

He stared at Raphael pensively, until he was convinced he _wasn't _dreaming. "I will take the tea, if you do not mind."

"No, 'course not. I should have already started it, instead of running my mouth like some jabberjaw."

Splinter reached a hand for him when he started to rise. "Raphael."

"Yes, Otosan?"

"I am not...disappointed by you."

The turtle managed a faint grin, but didn't acknowledge the statement otherwise. "I can handle heating some water for you. I'm gonna tell Mikey to get off his shell, so one of us makes sure you stay awake long enough to drink it."

Raphael crossed the long, narrow space Splinter now recognized as their school room. He started to call another question after his son, but it fled from his mind when he heard the twelve-year-old asking someone else for help.

Michelangelo's squeal could have carried for miles, but it instantly made the rat smile.

He knew he was overprotective where the turtles were concerned. It was a state of mind which was difficult to relinquish. _I have feared for _all_ of them, far too often. I can trust them to take care of one another. I have to. There is absolutely nothing more I can do at the moment, except...believe in them._


	31. Ration

Leonardo snuck an unobtrusive look at his youngest brother, who was still tediously watching over the same pot on the stove top he'd had on the back burner for a good thirty minutes. The amount of time Mikey had spent on the food made no sense when the teen knew canned soup only required reheating.

But Leo also didn't want to discourage the nine-year-old, so he tried to remain patient with him to finish. When the kitchen door was nudged open by the red-masked turtle, however, the teen knew he needed to move things along.

"How much longer do you think, Mike? The others have to be waiting too."

"You can't rush greatness."

Leonardo snorted at the youth's dramatic tone. It took the orange-masked turtle wheeling around with crossed arms to realize Mike was at least partially serious.

"I'm grateful for your effort – we all are. But you also don't have to go to a lot of trouble. We're going to eat your food, no matter what you do to it."

The smaller turtle made a scoffing sound. "Would you hurry through a kata that way? 'Well, I got the technique down _pretty_ good. Could probably do better if I tried, but why bother?'"

Now Leo was perplexed. "It's not exactly the same thing as mastering new forms."

"Maybe not in your mind," his brother retorted. "But when we've got ingredients that aren't old, stuff we could actually _make_ something out of...I think it's kind of a waste to just scarf it out of the can. There's such a thing as enjoying a meal."

"We do that...sometimes," Leonardo faltered.

"No, we survive," the youth said, much blunter than Leo expected. "We take whatever we get, and have to be happy about it. But I have a dream. A dream that food can taste really good."

The teen's eye ridges rose. "Is this the TV talking?"

Leonardo was bewildered the first time he caught the nine-year-old watching a food program in place of his usual cartoon or Power Rangers*** **episode. Mike still made time for old favorites, but the frequency of cooking shows he included in his odd repertoire had steadily climbed in the last few months.

"You should be glad," Mike admonished. "Grab the others and tell 'em to get in here. I'll show you."

Leonardo shrugged, but stepped out of the kitchen to find Raphael still waiting by the door, and Donatello relaxing on the couch.

"It's been like forever," the twelve-year-old asserted. "What's Mikey doing in there?"

"He's cooking," Leo answered softly. "And it seems to mean a lot to him, so be nice, Raph. Mike said he's ready for us."

Don hopped to his feet with a surprising amount of eagerness. "It's about time he did."

Raphael gave him a side eye. "'Bout time he did what?"

"Shared something with you guys. He's been experimenting with scraps on a small scale for a while now," Donny admitted. "Mike was too nervous to let you try anything. Do us all a favor, Raph, and _actually_ be nice."

"Experimenting how? Like he's been wasting food?"

"He's not wasting anything." Don's whisper was heated. "A lot of the ingredients are stuff he found on his own-"

"You guys coming? Thought you were hungry," Mike's voice carried from the kitchen.

The purple-masked turtle gave the older ones a hard look. "Go in there, and appreciate whatever he did. Understood?"

Leo nodded, although he thought Donny's speech and the amount of physical effort being expended on a simple meal were overkill. He forced an even expression while wandering back into the next room, to find his little brother ladling soup into chipped bowls.

The teen took a seat at the table with the others, but Michelangelo didn't immediately join them. Instead, the orange-masked turtle stood by silently, watching the rest like a hawk. Leo felt awkward over the fuss he was making, but managed to smile.

The soup didn't _smell _like anything special, but dipping in a spoon found a thicker texture than he expected. Warily tasting the broth produced a satisfying warmth, followed by a depth of flavor Leo couldn't identify, because he'd never had it.

He exchanged a glance with Raph, but didn't say anything. Amber eyes appeared as confused as he felt. Donny was the only one who happily continued consuming his bowl like it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Eat, you guys," Mike urged. "Just because it's different, that doesn't make it bad."

"It's not bad," Leo agreed at once, reached for another spoonful. "Honestly, it's really good. What did you do, Mike?"

The youth didn't answer; instead peering at Raphael for his opinion.

"Yeah, you been holding out on us, Pipsqueak?" the red-masked turtle continued. "What's the deal, huh? You save all the great stuff for Donny?"

A smile slowly appeared while the nine-year-old sat down. "No, I haven't done that much yet. I figured you would think it was stupid. Everyone needs to eat, but this...it's different."

"Shell yeah it is." Raphael hooked an arm around his neck. "What'd you put in here? Is that rice?"

"Only a cup. It's really cool how it expands, and it comes out more filling. You need to get more rice from the pantries whenever you can find it."

"What else did you add?" Leo persisted. "This tastes..." He still couldn't find a word for it. "You got all of this from a couple cans of soup and some rice?"

"Not quite, bro. I added stock, because it has a lot more flavor than the condensed stuff. Threw in a can of diced chicken too, and then some of the seasonings I've been...collecting. No more salt though, because the canned stuff already has a ton. Then I let all the flavors hang out, and BAM*****. You've got something more special than your average can of soup."

"It's good," the blue-masked turtle repeated. "I never realized how seriously you've been taking the sill—those cooking shows," he corrected, before he accidentally said something hurtful.

Michelangelo shrugged. "I like it. I'll do it more often, if you let me."

Leo shared another quick glance with his brothers. "I don't think anyone is opposed to you cooking, Mike, we just...have to find the food."

"I don't need to use this many ingredients every time, but it would be nice for us to have at least _one_ real meal a day," the youth suggested.

"It's like I told Raph last week," Don added. "If we get more protein and nutrients, we'll be able to put on actual weight and muscle."

"That also means more stealing," Leo said quietly. "I'm not saying I won't, but..."

"Okay, look," Raphael inserted. "Way I see it, you and I are kinda performing a service for the neighbors, Leo. We're keeping an eye out for people. Maybe...we don't have to feel so guilty for hitting up food pantries when we need to. We ain't never ransacked them. We don't hit the same place often.

"We can take an opportunity that presents itself on the street too, but we gotta be safer about it," Raph insisted, suddenly sounding older. "No more spoiled food, because we've been sick enough times. Those two especially." He jerked a hand toward the younger turtles. "So let's agree that we'll keep patrolling, and look after the churches that are feeding us at the same time. That way, it's like they're getting something in return. Right?"

The teen swallowed as everyone looked to him, waiting for judgment to be cast. _We can't keep things up the way we have been. It's already had a negative impact on our health, and with Splinter down for who knows how long...There really aren't a lot of options._

Leo nodded painfully. "Yes. I'll agree to it, but we have to be careful and organized. Also, Raph and I talked about..." He hesitated, sharing another meaningful look with the twelve-year-old. "We're going back to Reid's tomorrow night." He said the words rapidly, anticipating the reaction he would receive.

Don's and Mike's stunned silence almost made it easier to continue, but Mike caught up too fast.

"No! No, you can't go that route again!"

"We need fuel," Leonardo declared. "I'm onboard for the kind of good food you want us to have, Mikey. But we also need other things to tide us over, and fill everyone up when we can't get anything else. The amount of food going to waste is too huge to bypass. Raph and I are only going back one more time. We'll take as much as we can get our hands on, since it won't matter if anyone notices it missing.

"We need this, guys. It could be the difference between starving, or skating through another winter. Sensei needs us to keep going."

"You can't both go into a container," Donny countered. "We all know what happens if a door gets shut."

"One of us will keep watch for the other," Raph replied. "It's no biggie. We know what to expect, how to get in, and where to go. We just gotta do it."

"Then..." Mike's voice wavered with the word. "I should go too. Two people working inside will collect more stuff, faster. The third keeps watch."

Leonardo was surprised by the alarm Michelangelo volunteering produced. "No, bro, it's not necessary for you-"

"You think I'll screw up like before?" he challenged. "I'm not gonna make the same mistake."

"That's not it," Leo protested weakly, but cringed when blue eyes narrowed at him.

"I did something stupid," Mike proclaimed. "So let me learn from it. Let me go back with you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Leo caught Don's swift nod. The action was completed so fast, the blue-masked turtle barely noticed.

"All right," the teen relented. "Mike, you can come, but we'll treat this like another real mission."

The nine-year-old finally reached for his own soup, and gave Leonardo a satisfied nod.

"And if you chase me with any more spiders, real or fake, I'm gonna make you eat 'em," Raph threatened.

Mike smirked faintly. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Don and I have a few places to hit," Leo told him. "We'll start at the library, and then go on a search for herbs. No idea how long it'll take, but we'll do our best to get back as soon as we can."

"Still planning on leaving the neighborhood?" Raphael asked pointedly.

"To find what we need, it'll probably be necessary," Donny acknowledged. "This is important though. We can't put off finding ingredients, so the faster we track things down...then we'll be able to head back."

The red-masked turtle made a face at him. "I knew the two of you would be running a marathon tonight. But you ain't setting one foot outside until _I _say you've eaten enough."

The ten-year-old chuckled. "I expected that from you."

"Good, because it's gonna be a permanent requirement," Raphael went on, and fixed Mike with a look. "Means you have to keep cooking too, and watching that weird guy on TV."

"Emeril*****, Raph. The 'weird guy' has a name."

"Whatever. You keep learning and I'll make sure you've got the stuff you need. You two," Raphael said sternly toward Leo and Don, and paused for effect. "Better get your shells home before sunrise."

* * *

Leonardo alternated between watching the entrance of the alley, and peering over the edge of the dumpster his younger brother was sifting through. It wasn't his favorite place to see Donny, but it could have been worse. The trash didn't harbor the same kind of food waste as a restaurant, so the task wasn't as dirty as it often ended up being.

Over the years Leo had taken enough side trips with Splinter hunting for herbs to gain a decent eye for them, but he knew Donatello was still superior in that regard.

The teen heard his brother mumble something unintelligible, right before chuckling under his breath. "What was that for, Don?"

The ten-year-old glanced up when Leo poked his head over the container. "Oh, nothing. It's just amazing the stuff people will throw away. Some of these things have a definitive 'out' date, but the rest...Those expiration dates manufactured in keeping with the law? The products will typically last quite a bit longer."

"Are you finding what you need?"

"Bits and pieces. More of one thing than another. That's why we have to hit a couple more stores."

Leonardo grimaced. The other locations Don scouted on the internet would take them at least six miles out of the way. "I hope they pay off. Have to make these trips count, and take as much as we can find. Are you ready to switch out yet?"

Donny shook his head. "Leo, I'm fine. I'll let you know if I need some air. You can take these though." He handed up a plastic shopping bag.

"What did you find?"

"Feverfew. They got rid of an entire lot that was outdated. It's not my favorite, but it will help in a pinch."

_It's amazing to think about the number of things I never bothered to ask. _It wasn't that Leonardo had zero knowledge of the herbs their Sensei regularly used, but he'd been consumed by other activities. _Been so focused on the physical, other stuff hasn't mattered as much._

"Why isn't it your favorite? What's it do, Donny?"

"Feverfew contains compounds that reduce inflammation and muscle spasms. The flowers and leaves are supposed to have pain relieving properties. But there can also be some nasty side effects, so I want more options available. My real goal is to track down more White Willow Bark and Niacin. I'll stock up on other stuff if I find things to use, but those are kind of indispensable."

"Didn't you mention something about oils too?"

"Yeah, I don't think it would hurt to branch out a little. I need a variety so if one thing isn't working, I can do something else. Essential oils are another avenue worth playing with."

Leonardo sighed. "Will this be enough? Is _any_ of it going to make a dent in his suffering?"

"Leo, you've already seen some of the pain management at work."

The teen shook his head. "Master Splinter is so exhausted. I can't help thinking the pain might be worse later, when he's more aware of everything."

Don leaned against the edge of the dumpster closer to him. "I know how bad this looks. It feels like too much for any of us to handle. He should be in the hospital under a team of doctors and nurses, looking after him around the clock. But it doesn't help to think about what we don't have. We gotta make do with what we can find. As time goes on and I learn more, our options are going to improve."

"You think, Donny?"

"Yeah. I have all kinds of ideas, okay? But I don't have the means or the 'know how' to do much. I'll get there, Leo. I will study and figure things out. Eventually, it can get better."

The confidence in his brother's voice provided a small sense of comfort for the blue-masked turtle. "How long are you gonna give this dumpster?"

"I'll take another fifteen minutes or so, and then we can move on."

Leonardo sent another glance to the entrance of the alley, and then to the door leading into the store. "I've been wondering about something else," he mentioned, keeping his voice casual. "Exactly what form of caffeine were you referring to the other night, when you said it was only wishful thinking?"

"I wasn't talking about anything," he returned evasively.

"Sensei's tea only contains a small amount. Your request for another solution sounded like...you've experienced something else."

"You're reading into this." Don sounded distracted, but Leo had a feeling he was merely deflecting.

"What have you been using?"

The direct question got Donny to look up.

"I'm not your dad," Leo continued cautiously. "I just wanna know what you're doing with yourself."

"I've been drinking some coffee, all right? That's it. I'm not stupid enough to try anything stronger."

"I didn't think you were, but I could tell you were hiding whatever it was."

"A lot of people drink coffee. But Sensei wouldn't want me to, so..." Donatello didn't finish, and went back to digging.

"You _are_ a little young," Leo ventured. "And caffeine is supposed to be addictive, isn't it?"

Don stopped what he was doing once more. "Bro, try to understand. I have a limited amount of time to get things done overnight at someplace like the library. The long sessions I spend studying...my energy runs out. The only thing I'm doing is getting a little boost so I can keep going."

"Could it hurt you?"

"Anything in excess can be detrimental. I'm not going to overdo it, Leo. I need help to keep me on task."

"Okay, but...you're not gonna have to pull all-nighters at home. Once you copy stuff to disks for your own computer, you can take your time with it."

"Technically that's true, but I barely cracked the surface of what I need to learn at the library tonight. I have to study physical therapy pretty intensively if Master Splinter is ever going to..."

"Going to what?"

"Can we talk about this later? I need to focus on my search."

Leonardo fell silent, allowing the purple-masked turtle to resume his quest for the elusive discarded herbs. _This really _is_ too much for him. I know it, and I think he does too. If I had any sense, I wouldn't let Don try to take this job on. But if he doesn't..._

Leo's frame sagged, suddenly heavier. _We shouldn't let Don attempt this, but there's no one else to turn to. Splinter can't do it on his own. There's no way to win, it seems. And Donny needs help too._

Leonardo rested both arms over the open receptacle, searching out Donny again. "How do you usually get coffee?"

The younger turtle didn't make eye contact. "From the library. Their community room has a ton."

"Is it possible to make it at home?"

Donny gave him a funny look.

"I don't think it's that good for you," the teen clarified. "But in moderation...well, it doesn't kill other people."

Donatello didn't say anything, yet his overwhelmed expression was now impossible to hide.

"Don, what you're doing is really hard," Leo started. "We can all see that. Whatever help you need, I wanna make sure you get it."

The manner in which Donny shook his head was mystifying. He was offering the younger turtle what he wanted, but it didn't seem to make him happy. Leonardo was tempted to be irritated, but instead fixed on the light tremor of his shoulders.

"What is it, Donny? What's wrong?"

The purple-masked turtle jerked away from the hands that landed on his shell and moved toward the end of the dumpster. "I have to get out for a minute."

Leo silently followed him when he dropped over the edge of the receptacle and landed on the ground. The ten-year-old looked so lost all of a sudden, he couldn't keep from reaching out to him again.

"What is it?"

Chocolate brown eyes only connected with him for an instant. "Splinter's damage is bad, Leo. He needs surgery for his leg, and that's not..."

The teen expelled a shaky breath. "Not possible."

"No. Even if I knew how, we don't have equipment, drugs...None of it exists. There's so little I can actually do for him."

"Once you set the bones, they'll heal eventually, won't they?"

"Sort of. Not all broken bones are the same. His may mend, but based on the speed reading I did while copying things at the library...Leo, do you wanna hear this?"

"Yes. Well, part of me doesn't, but I need to know. Will Sensei walk again? Run? Jump?"

"I don't know. I think physical therapy will help, as well as time to heal. But this is going to take months, Leo. I'm not sure if he'll cooperate that long."

"We won't give him a choice," Leo asserted, squeezing his shoulder firmly. "Listen. You aren't ultimately responsible for this. Whether he walks or not, it won't be your fault."

"I can't help feeling like I am. Do you want me to do nothing? Let Nature take it's course, and see how he ends up?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I don't want this to be something you blame yourself for, Don."

"I'm trying not to think like that yet. I know I need help – _yours_, specifically. It's really important for Sensei to stay off his leg, and as weeks go by, he's gonna fight me."

"We outnumber him, Donny." He quirked an eye-ridge at his brother, but couldn't draw a laugh. "We need to take a step back, and look at this from another angle. Master Splinter easily could have died. Any of us might have. But we made it. We're all here, so that base is covered. What's the next worst case scenario?"

"I don't..." Donatello twitched nervously, clearly not wanting to speak the fear out loud. "Sensei could be crippled. He might never use that leg again."

"Will he stop being our father? If Master Splinter _was_ handicapped, would it make him worthless to us?"

"I...No, of course not, but..."

"But it's hard to imagine him being any different than he always has been," Leonardo finished. "Donny, the use of one or both legs won't change who our father is at the core. None of us want him to be disabled, but at the end of the day, we still have him. I think the best way to get through this is by remembering what we've got, and presenting a strong, united front."

"I don't feel strong. I feel inadequate."

"That's why I'm telling you this isn't your failure, no matter what. We're gonna face this as a family. We'll all help with therapy, encouraging Otosan, and keeping him in line when he won't cooperate."

Donny blinked several times, obviously fighting tears. "You'll really let me have coffee?"

"I'll agree to a reasonable amount. But you're gonna have to explain it to Splinter too."

"I've been practicing that part anyway."

The teen snorted. "Leave it to you to plan your case in advance. You gonna convince him before or after you build a machine?"

"I don't have to build a coffeemaker. I already found one at the dump. The display is shorted out, but I'm pretty sure I can fix it."

Leo groaned. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm creating a monster?"

* * *

*** I don't own Power Rangers, Emeril Lagasse, or his signature "bam"!**


	32. Improve

Raphael had been surprised when his youngest brother insisted on working out the moment Leonardo and Donatello left for their errands. The red-masked turtle went along with the idea because of curiosity, but also to keep an eye on him without being forced to spy.

With the late hour, he assumed the nine-year-old only wanted to burn some excess energy, but the aggresive nature of Mike's current exercise went against his normal character. _Mikey's more than some big goof-ball, but he almost always finds some way to have fun along with the "work", especially if Sensei ain't around._

Yet for the last hour Michelangelo had done nothing but silently run through his own solo drills with nunchucks, and barely acknowledged Raph's presence. _Well, it ain't like he asked me to come train with him or hold his hand. I love being left alone too. Maybe I ought just give him the space he seems to want._

But as much as Raphael tried to overlook it, he was disturbed by the way the youth was behaving. Mike had been running through an advanced figure eight wrist roll with one weapon repeatedly, but recently advanced to using both nunchucks to perform the same technique simultaneously.

The lack of synchronization between his weapons appeared to frustrate the orange-masked turtle more with the passing minutes. Raphael felt increasingly uncomfortable merely watching, and finally had to speak up.

"Bro, it's kinda late."

Mike didn't break from his activity. "I'm fine. I've been trying to get this right forever."

"You've got the wrist roll down, Mikey. I've seen you do it a thousand times, and half of those were tonight."

"Not with _both_ chucks. Look, you don't have to babysit me, okay? I'm not getting into trouble."

"You don't usually run drills at midnight though."

"I couldn't do it earlier, and you still don't need to watch me."

The red-masked turtle looked over his shoulder and considered leaving again. "Why couldn't you do it earlier?" he asked instead, at the exact moment his brother attempted another synchronized roll of his weapons.

One of the nunchucks went flying from his grip. When Mike sighed, he sounded even less like himself. "You work out whenever you want. Why can't I?"

"Answer the question, Mikey."

Michelangelo retrieved his fallen weapon. "Don didn't want me to. He's being paranoid, because Master Splinter and I got drugged. But you can tell I'm fine, right?"

Amber eyes studied the smaller turtle judiciously. "I dunno if that's how I'd describe ya. You're not even acting like _you_."

"What's wrong with that?"

Raphael blinked rapidly, not expecting the response from his fun-loving little brother. He took two deliberate steps toward Michelangelo and captured the opposite ends of his nunchucks. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing! You know everything we just went through. It should make perfect sense."

"What ought to make sense?"

Mike tried to jerk his weapons away, but Raph doggedly held on.

"What should make sense?" he repeated.

"Me working harder. I have to catch up, Raph."

"Catch up to who, Mikey?"

"This is my problem. That's why'd rather work on it _alone_."

Michelangelo pulled on nunchucks harder, but the bigger turtle wouldn't release them.

"You got something to prove now, bro? Did Sensei ask you to get this move perfect?"

"No, he didn't. He wouldn't. Master Splinter would tell me to slow down, take my time, feel it properly, but I can't."

"Sensei pretty much knows what he's talking about, Mike-"

"Then why don't _you _listen to him more?"

The angry challenge startled Raphael so much that he fell back a step and released the handles of his nunchucks.

"Is this about how stupid Leo and I have been? Is that what's eating ya, and turning you into some kinda obsessed machine?"

"No," Mike answered, instantly softening. "It's not you. This is about me. I can't go back to the surface the same way."

The twelve-year-old cautiously approached him again. "I know you're still blaming yourself for what happened-"

"There's no one else to blame, Raph. But I can move past it. I have to. Gotta work harder, take things more seriously, and get my forms right. Can't rest until I do."

That was the moment Raphael knew what needed to happen. "You're done for tonight, Mikey."

"I've barely started-" Michelangelo transitioned into a squeal when Raph captured him around the midsection and braced the youth over his shoulder.

The nine-year-old squirmed so persistently, the red-masked turtle almost dropped him before reaching the couch in the living area.

Raphael slung him down on the cushions with a scowl. "If I say you're done, you're done."

"Raph, you know I have to get better! You rag on me more than everyone else combined."

_Those _words made the older turtle freeze up, though his mind didn't stop. Every name he'd ever invented for his "annoying" little brother, all the times he'd slapped the back of his head or rebuked Mike for acting like a kid, rushed back to him in an instant.

Michelangelo sat up on the couch, drawing knees against his plastron. "I know I do it. I've never taken anything seriously, but now I'm gonna. With Sensei down, it means everyone has to do more."

"Yeah, we do," Raphael allowed, finding his voice. "We gotta work hard, keep going, and take on more responsibility since Master Splinter won't be able to do anything-"

"That's all I'm doing, Raph. If I don't grow up-"

Raphael's arm encircled his shoulder to shut him down. "I ain't never told ya you weren't good enough, Mikey."

"Maybe not like that, but...I can't let this happen again. If I'm gonna leave the den, I have to make sure."

"You can't get it all done at once," Raph stated logically. "Mikey, Leo has a lot of stuff to learn, and so do Donny and me. You're no different than the rest of us. But if you try to cram everything into a couple of sessions, you're only gonna hurt yourself. It don't work like that."

"I know it doesn't, but I can't wait. I have to change_ now_."

"You _have_ changed, bro. Maybe you can't see it, but back there at the warehouse? You were awesome. You drove those cops away, scared so many of them off, and nothin' touched you. We were a team. Didn't you feel it?"

"Yeah, and it was cool. But that doesn't change how we got there. I can't let Sensei or anyone else down again. Next time, it might be the end. I'm not gonna be the reason someone gets hurt or killed. Even with those Crypts, Master Splinter had to tell me over and over to stop playing-"

"That ain't all bad, Mikey."

"Yeah it is! You can't stand me either."

"You annoy me like it's your job sometimes, bro. But if you go serious, it's gonna get boring around here real quick."

The incredulous look his brother sent him was understandable, but also disheartening. _He really thinks I don't like him._

"I ain't just saying that, Mike," he insisted. "You make everything...lighter. I feel better after being around ya, even when you drive me crazy." Raphael hesitated, unsure of how to fix the damage which had been done by his own mouth. "You've got a lot ahead of you, bro. I already said we all have tons of room to grow. But the disaster with the warehouse and the cops, it proved to me that you've _already_ got the right stuff. And when we get into another fight where we can't run away...I'll feel better if you're there too."

The orange-masked turtle still seemed skeptical. "I couldn't have done any of it without you guys."

"Mikey, that's being a team. And we were freaking good at it, weren't we? We outsmarted a bunch of trained cops, and most of 'em never got a good look at us. _We_ did that."

"I guess." The nine-year-old sounded faint. "You think we'll be in another fight like that one?"

Raph shrugged. "I don't know. I ain't gonna plan for it. Rather be fighting for someone else than trying to just keep myself alive."

"You mean...what you and Leo have been doing on the surface?"

Raphael relaxed against the couch. "Sorta. When you get a little older, and Donny can break away from some brainy stuff...The four of us could go together."

Mike was clearly confused. "I thought you guys were having your own fun. Why do you want Don and I there?"

"Taking down the bad guys who deserve it _is_ fun, Mikey. But that ain't why we're doing this. If we've got the power to do something, to stop someone from getting hurt, don't you think we ought to use it?"

Michelangelo didn't answer, but his blue eyes took on a glazed appearance.

"Bro?" Raphael persisted in trying to get a response from him.

Mike slowly nodded. "Sensei and I had to help a couple kids too. The Crypts wanted to kill them, but we got them away and they managed to escape."

"How'd that feel?" Raphael asked.

The youth truly focused on him for the first time in a few minutes. "It felt right. Like we were supposed to." Then he glanced down. "I don't think Sensei wants us to though."

"What are you saying, Mike?"

"Master Splinter was talking about it, the day you guys caught up to us. He said he wished he could pull you and Leo back. It sounded as if...Raph, he's scared. At least, it seemed like it. He said he wanted to stop your patrolling, but he couldn't."

Raphael's face fell before he could hide it. "He coulda made us to stop before, Mike. If he ever told me and Leo to quit, we'd have to."

"Do you think you _could_ stop at this point?"

"I know I don't want to," he admitted. "It sounds like we gotta talk to Sensei."

Mike faced him guiltily this time. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad."

"You ain't done nothing wrong, Mikey. But I've had enough of your 'ruthless' side for one night. We've been stressed out and on edge for days. Can't we take a break and play your game or something?"

Mike cast a swift glance at the game console Donny had rebuilt for him, where it was resting on the floor by the TV. "Maybe we could try racing again, but you can't throw the remote when I beat you. Donny doesn't have time to fix extra stuff right now."

"No problem, because I'm gonna beat your shell this time."

"In your dreams, Raphy." Mike's return grin was muted, nowhere near as smug as usual, but Raphael was happy to see it.

_No matter how much we need to grow up, I can't stand to watch him lose that, or become someone else. Ain't nothing in the world worth the knucklehead not being himself._

* * *

A faint bang on the door jolted Raphael out of a near snooze. His first instinct was to look for Mike, who was curled up on the other end of the couch. His second impulse was to check the clock, which registered a little after 4:30 in the morning.

The red-masked turtle gained his feet when the knock repeated, and hurried over to the door. "What's the matter, Leo?" he teased. "You forget your key or..." Raphael cursed when he saw his ten-year-old brother clinging to the teen's shell in a piggy-back style grip.

"Bro, what happened? Is Donny-"

"He's all right," Leonardo inserted, coming into the den with heavier steps than normal.

Raphael reached for the purple-masked turtle and gathered him swiftly in his arms to take to the couch. Donny shifted at once, appearing disoriented.

"We're home? Oh, I gotta load my stuff."

Leo shook his head, rolling reddened shoulders painfully. "Bro, you need a shower, and bed. Everything else will have to wait."

"I don't think I can stand that long," Donny mumbled.

"I'll run you some water for a bath," the blue-masked turtle returned.

"Let me do it," Mike spoke up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "You like it hotter than Donny does."

"I don't need to be cooked," the ten-year-old complained. He started to sit up from the couch, only for Raphael to immediately catch his arm. "I can still walk, Raph."

"Then why was Leo carrying ya?"

"I couldn't keep up the last couple miles. Leo, where are my things?"

"You can have them in the morning," the teen declared. "Raph, I'm gonna make sure he gets upstairs, and I'll be right back, okay?"

Raphael nodded and watched Michelangelo spring up the steps, followed by his other brothers at a slower pace. His gaze fixed on the two bags Leonardo had left behind. The fact that they _looked _full gave him hope that they'd been successful.

The twelve-year-old was tempted to dive into the packs to find out what they'd gathered, but refrained. _It's not gonna be some treat. The stuff is way more important than that._

His head twisted the moment he heard someone descending the stairs. Leo met him with an exhausted sigh and flopped down on the couch.

"How's Donny, bro? Is he okay? What happened up there?"

"Tacking on the other stores made it more like a fifteen mile round trip tonight. It was a little too much for him," Leonardo explained. "Don hasn't completely recovered from our adventures at the warehouse."

"Is he all right or not?" Raph persisted.

"I think he will be, bro. Don was just spent."

"You look like you're about there too, Leo. You gonna make it to the shower yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll go in a bit."

"Did you guys find everything he needs?"

"Not as much of some stuff as Donny would like, but he said he'd make do." Leonardo looked down at the pair of bags. "The recipe for Sensei's pain blend is written out. Maybe I could try to follow it, and give Don one less thing to do in the morning."

Raphael immediately balked at the idea. "Uh...no offense, Leo, but I think you should leave the special mixing and blending to the genius. If something goes wrong, it will mean more work to track down the stuff Master Splinter needs."

Leo crossed his arms, but didn't disagree. "Yeah. I know. I won't try it, but I wish we could help more."

"We gotta make sure he _sleeps_. Let's be careful not to wake him early, and let Don really catch up. Then he'll be in a better frame of mind to take care of Sensei."

"I agree. His rotation with Splinter is supposed to start at 10am, but let's take him off the schedule for now. I'll cover in the morning, and get more sleep later."

"Ain't just your responsibility either, Leo. Give it until 12. I can handle a couple extra hours on watch. When you go up, will you warn Mikey to let Don sleep in too?"

"I'll tell him. How was he tonight? Mike was awful quiet today. I didn't like it. I'm sure he's got recovering of his own to do, but he feels so...stifled."

"He thinks he's gotta grow up all at once, Leo. Not sure what to do with 'im. I felt like he was turning into some little clone of you, running the same technique over and over because he didn't feel like it was perfect."

"Was he working out?"

"Uh...yeah. For a while, right after you guys left."

"Darn his shell. Donny told him not to."

"Why, Leo? Does he think something's wrong with Mikey?"

"I'm not positive. I think he's feeling a little paranoid, but who knows?"

"Should probably make sure he sleeps too," Raph murmured. "Fearless, why don't ya check on them, okay? Then go get some rest. I'm gonna sit with Sensei."

"I'll make sure they're settled, and try to get to bed as soon as possible too."

Raphael headed for the school room turned med lab, slipping inside the space silently so he wouldn't disturb Splinter. The action ended up being worthless, because onyx eyes glanced over the moment he entered.

"I thought you would never come," his father told him.

"Aw, Sensei, you're supposed to be sleeping. What are ya doing waiting around for someone to show up? Do you need something?"

"Is everyone safe?"

"Yeah, Otosan, Leo and Donny are back. They're cleaning up, and they'll head for bed. They found most of what they were looking for-"

"It seems to have taken longer than it should have."

"Well, maybe, but they had to travel further, Master."

The rat's dark expression made Raphael tense up at once.

"Don't go getting upset, Sensei. We _need_ stuff."

"It was not necessary when they have not had enough rest from the ordeal."

The red-masked turtle was tempted to match Splinter's glare. "We're all freaking out 'cause we can't do that much for you, Otosan. Do you expect us to sit at home and let you suffer?"

"I am still your father, and all of you have done too much already."

"Too _much?_" Raphael repeated, shocked. "Were we supposed to wait around for you and Mikey to get back? Is that what you'd do if one of us disappeared?"

"You are my sons. It is my duty to protect you."

"And you think we don't have any duty?" The twelve-year-old crouched down to look his father in the eye. "Are you honestly mad that we came after you?"

"I would not...have you risk so much."

"That ain't fair." Raph's tone flattened. "You'd give up everything for us. Were we supposed to forget about you?"

"You could have waited longer," he retorted stiffly. "Provided a little more time, Michelangelo and I would have escaped."

The red-masked turtle straightened suddenly, wanting nothing more than to run from the room. "Yeah, I bet you coulda. What the shell do you even need a family for?"

The words felt wrong as they left his mouth, but now Raphael was hurt, and respect fell by the wayside. He had no intention of waiting for an answer or reprimand, so he whipped toward the door.

"Raphael!"

The pained gasp which accompanied his Master's call caused Raph to freeze in his tracks. He looked back to find the rat gingerly rising on his elbows.

"Stop. Come," Splinter ordered. Single syllables seemed to be all he could manage from his current position.

"Sensei, don't," Raphael urged. "You're gonna hurt yourself, and then I'll have to drag Don down here. He needs sleep in the worst way. Don't make me get him."

"No, do not," his father agreed, dropping back to the mattress. "Musuko. I am not angry that you and your brothers came after us. I simply did not want you too."

"You get why we _did_, don't ya? Why we couldn't stand back and do nothing?"

Splinter winced. "I knew you would come. I was afraid for what would happen to you."

"We made it out there just fine, Master." _About lost Leo on the way, but you don't need to know about that yet._

"What I feared most came to pass." The way his father's voice shook made Raphael lower to his knees beside him again. "I could have lost all of you. I almost did."

"We came a lot closer to losing you, Otosan, and we didn't like it either."

"You are so young..." Splinter faltered, clearly wanting to say more.

"Yeah, we're kids. And we wanna keep our dad around for a few more years, because we still got a lot to learn from him."

"_I_ have much to learn."

"Nah, Master. Your part is harder. You're the one who has to let go of us."

Splinter's gaze turned vacant. He was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "I believe...you may be correct, Raphael."

"Mikey said you mentioned something about Leo and me. Like you might not want us to do this anymore."

"Do what, my son?"

"Protect the neighborhood. Do you want us to quit, Master Splinter?"

The rat groaned softly. "It is all very...complicated, musuko."

"Then you _don't_ want us going anymore."

"Raphael, no parent _wants_ their child to be in danger."

"I guess not, Sensei, but what are we supposed to do? Walk by and pretend like the criminals don't exist? Look the other direction when someone is being raped three feet away from us? I...I couldn't live with myself for that."

His father's eyes fixed on the ceiling. "I know you cannot ignore it."

"We can't avoid the surface, Otosan. There are too many things we need, and it's the only place to get them. Not to mention...the freedom. Master, I love you and my brothers. But if I'm stuck down here forever, someone will end up dead." Raphael finished so seriously, it drew a pained laugh from Splinter.

"Oh, my son. I knew that hiding the four of you forever would be impossible. I assumed one day you would get a taste for such freedom, and might not wish to return at all."

"I'd never do that, Master Splinter. I couldn't leave you guys."

"I did _not_ foresee the compassion that you and Leonardo are moved to for perfect strangers...who offer you nothing in return."

"I wouldn't call it 'nothing', Master. It feels really good to help 'em."

Splinter inched partially upright. "You are better ninjas already than I anticipated. There is still need for growth. But your hearts are innately bent toward kindness, bravery, and selflessness. It makes me proud, even as it terrifies me."

"You don't gotta be scared, Sensei. Not ever. All we've got is this tiny corner of midtown Manhattan. Nothing's gonna happen to us."

Splinter's eyes turned grim. "Boundaries will expand, musuko. This mission you have accepted will take on a life of its own. I do not believe you grasp the magnitude of what you and Leonardo have begun. I only hope that I can teach you _enough_. I cannot see what lies ahead of you. While I do not want you to fear..." The rat hesitated, heaving as though winded.

"You can stop there, Master. Give us the talk later, when Leo's here too. It'll mean more. Right now, you need to rest."

"Yes, I do." His voice turned faint. "I am not angry, Raphael. Please do not be angry with _me._"

"I'm not, Otosan, but I'm gonna need ya to go back to sleep. We've got lots of time to talk about everything else later."

Raphael smoothed a hand over his father's shoulder, straightening a wrinkle in his robe. Splinter appeared to relax under his touch, so the red-masked turtle didn't move his hand again until the rat's breathing settled into a deeper rhythm.


	33. Choice

Michelangelo jolted in front of the stove when the kitchen door swung into the wall. He twisted around, expecting to see the red-masked turtle, but found an extremely irritated-looking Donatello instead. The nine-year-old couldn't hold in a grin, despite his brother's obvious anger.

"Hey, bro. You must have slept good."

"I slept well," he corrected testily. "Way too well. Whose idea was it to let me go until _afternoon?_"

Mike shrugged innocently. "Can't tell ya, but you look better, Donny. Are you hungry?"

"Am I hungry? I have a dozen things I already should have done by now!"

"So maybe you'll get through most of it without passing out?" the orange-masked turtle suggested. "Leo said you about fainted last night."

"Oh, I did not. I get dizzy once in my life-"

"Hey, bro?" Mike interrupted with another winning smile. "Do you wanna waste another hour being annoyed? Or would you rather eat something and get to work?"

The ten-year-old eyed him sullenly. "You guys shouldn't have let me sleep that long."

"No one _made_ you do anything, but Leo and Raph will if they have to. Do you want me to wake them up, or can you sit down and eat?"

"I'm not afraid of them," he muttered, but did end up lowering to a chair. "Is the kitchen your new home, Mike? You seem to be spending a lot of time here since we got back."

"It's just the one thing I can do, Donny. I don't know herbs or stitches. But thanks to the stuff you grabbed from Saint Andrew's pantry, I'm getting to try some new recipes I've thought about for weeks."

"I never understood why you like the Food TV so much," Don admitted. "Not that the chefs aren't cool. Doesn't it ever make you hungrier though?"

"Nah. Well, sometimes. Mostly, it gets me relaxed. I got something you could try on the stove already, because I was making it for Sensei."

The youth spooned out a portion of the hot cereal he'd prepared with a little of the brown sugar his Master didn't need to know about, and the rest of a can of evaporated milk. He beamed with anticipation while setting his offering in front of Don.

The purple-masked turtle stared at the bowl for a long moment. "That doesn't look like oatmeal."

Mike shook his head, lifting the box from the counter-top. "No, bro. It's cream of wheat. You only tried it that one other time when you were sick-"

"Are you trying to make me puke my guts out?" Donny shoved back from the table like the food was going to attack him.

"I'm only saying, you throwing up probably had more to do with the bug than some nice hot cereal. Don't you wanna give this another shot? I added some great stuff to it."

His brother bore a resigned expression while approaching the table again, and pushing a spoon through the bowl. He'd barely lifted it when he dropped the utensil. "I'm sorry, Mike. Just the smell of it is about to make me sick. I can hardly choke down regular oatmeal, and that stuff is...way worse." Donny nudged the dish away with two fingers, as if he was afraid to even touch it. "You're a great cook. I know beggars can't be choosers, but I can't get through it."

"It's cool, Don. Nobody likes _everything_. Sensei had some earlier today, and he seemed to like it pretty good. It's not gonna go to waste. How about more of the soup from last night?"

Donatello instantly perked up. "You had leftovers? How?"

"I cut Raph off. I also cooked up some more rice earlier to make it stretch. It's been boring around here with everyone sleeping."

"I wasn't supposed to be sleeping," he declared, frustrated. "Are you the only one who's been up today?"

"No, Leo got up at noon for a couple hours, but I could tell he was still tired. Told him to take a nap. Not like Sensei's gonna keel over on us at this point, right?"

Donny shook his head. "No, but we need to set his leg properly. Once Raph and Leo are rested up, we'll get on that. I'll start working on his pain blend after you're done feeding _me_."

"I'll heat it up now, bro."

"Could you put it in one of the mugs please? I really need to get to my computer too. I can read about Chrono and drink soup at the same time."

"Thought you wanted to work on herbs first."

"Please, Mike? I need to know more about that drug, and if I should still be concerned about the two of you."

Mike had a hard time not rolling his eyes while pouring some of the leftover soup into a cup. He released the broth to him, but still followed his brother when he rose.

"I swear I'll eat, Mikey. I really like your food for the most part. You don't have to watch me."

"I wanna know about Chrono too."

"Well..." Don glanced toward the living area. "Only if you're super quiet. I don't want to disturb Master Splinter."

"He won't even know we're there."

Donny's eyes conveyed doubt, but he motioned for him to come anyway.

Inwardly, Michelangelo wanted to celebrate, but reminded himself to remain cool.

Donatello slipped into the makeshift infirmary, and the nine-year-old heard him sigh with soft relief.

"Looks like he's actually sleeping," his brother whispered.

The ten-year-old approached the computer in the corner and loaded a disk into the tray. "You might get bored with this real quick. Don't stick around if you start feeling restless. It's probably gonna take a while."

Mike gave him a pointed look. "Weren't you gonna eat and read at the same time? You won't hear a peep from me, Donny. I've gotten good at sitting in the background."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what? Hang around when you're working?"

"Yeah. You've got nothing to do."

"I like being with you," he answered honestly.

"Even when I'm not paying attention?"

Michelangelo snorted softly. "You pay more attention than you think. And when I start to get on your nerves, you always find me something else to do."

Donatello stiffened. "I stay _too _busy. What's the point of being with me?"

"Would you rather I go away?"

"No. I just...feel bad. It seems like you're constantly trying to look out for me, and I'm completely distracted by other things."

"You're _working_, bro. Doing stuff that the rest of us can't. Only thing I hate is that you still get flack for it from Leo and Raph sometimes."

"That might be changing. I think they're beginning to understand I'm not screwing around with the computer. The work matters."

Mike huffed angrily to himself. _I hope Don's right. There's a reason I "look out for him", but maybe...the guys will appreciate him more now. Leo and Raph have always been super protective, yet it still doesn't feel like they get Donny. It'd be nice if they'd listen to him, and at least _try_ to understand. I'll cross my fingers for both of us._

* * *

Mike was happily working his way through writing the chapter which had been searing itself into his brain, since he was finally the owner of a handful of pens Don picked up the night before. _They'll probably last me close to two months, if I'm careful not to lose any of them._

Writing was one of his favorite things to do while Don was busy. It was his own version of "work", which never really felt like it. He wasn't distracted from his fictional world until he heard Donatello exhale sharply.

"What's up, bro?"

Donny rubbed his temples. "I'm trying to make sense of why certain ingredients impact us different ways. The effects of Nyquil and Chrono seem similar at first glance, but their components don't have much in common. Focusing on the volatility of the dosage alone is so strange."

"Why is it strange?"

"Because chemically speaking, Nyquil is a milder product, which would indicate a 'lesser' experience or reaction. It's a simple medication that anyone can buy off the shelf for very little money. Logically, a controlled substance, such as an illegal drug like Chrono, should have a much more powerful effect.

"Yet the duration of Chrono was less than half the experience that Raphael had on Nyquil. The only reason it floored Splinter longer is because he was still being exposed to it."

"But what's the trick, Don? Why was the Nyquil worse?"

"I think it's because Chrono isn't a downer. Technically, it's a stimulant."

"Like...you said caffeine is a stimulant. Which means it keeps you awake?"

"That's the tendency."

"Donny, it put us to sleep. Isn't that like the opposite?"

"It did put you guys to sleep, but I think the effect had more to do with your general sensitivity to the substance, rather than being chemically restricted. If we were dosed with a powerful sedative, something a lot stronger than Nyquil, _designed_ to knock us out, I believe the result would have been severe.

"It's hard to say for certain, because this isn't the type of thing I can test for. But I have a strong feeling that tranquilizers are not our friend."

"So...stay away from sedatives, and we're good?"

"Keep off of drugs entirely, Mikey. I doubt anything formulated for human biology is going to affect us beneficially."

"Then we don't take any of their crap. Sounds easy."

Don sent him a sudden probing look. "I'll still be keeping a close eye on you for now."

"With all the free time you have lying around?"

"I will _make_ time for you."

Michelangelo smiled at once. "You always do. But you ought to know we're watching you too."

"That's typical for you," Donny agreed. "_You're _the one who sees everything. More than me, in some respects. I get incredibly distracted."

"It's a side effect of your projects, bro. You just need to take more breaks."

The ten-year-old pushed away from the desk. "Can't afford many breaks at the moment. I have to figure out a plan for Sensei."

"That's okay, Don. We still outnumber you. If we have to gang up on your shell, we'll win."

Chocolate brown eyes narrowed at him. "I don't need an intervention."

Mike shrugged. "It feels cool to have Leo and Raph on my side. Being a team is a good thing."

"As long as it isn't the three of you against me, which is how it felt this morning. Why would you let me sleep so late?" he demanded again.

"Your body decided how much sleep you needed, Donny. Isn't there a chance you could do more if you aren't super tired?"

"But I don't want it forced on me."

"You collapsed last night, Don."

"You weren't there. It wasn't serious. I got dizzy, and Leo blew it way out of proportion."

"Did he, Donny? Is that really what happened?"

It was Donatello's turn to shrug. "I was wiped out."

"Right. And you're still asking why we let you sleep?"

Don mumbled something he couldn't hear, then reached for a paper on the desk. "I need to get to work on these herbs. Master Splinter is too far under to be asleep. If he's fallen back onto meditating, he needs the pain killer badly."

"I'll stop bugging you, Donny. Can I do anything to help?"

"If you wouldn't mind boiling some water, I'd appreciate it. Bring it up to temperature and keep water simmering until I have ingredients prepared."

"Oh, I can handle water, bro."

"I know you can." Don flashed him a grateful look. "I missed you a lot, Mike. Like...more than I can describe."

"I missed you too."

"No," he said emphatically. "That was bad. It's the worst thing I can ever remember. Before we knew where you were, when we weren't sure if you guys were dead or alive...It messed me up."

Michelangelo sighed at the reminder of how badly he'd screwed up. "I'm sorry. I won't do nothing like that again."

"Mike, listen to me, please? The last few days made me realize that I've taken you for granted. I feel like _I _need to apologize."

Mike shook his head fiercely. "You're constantly down on yourself for one reason or another, but it doesn't make you a bad brother. Do you think I'd hang around this much if you were? Though, I don't know how I'll feel if you start crime fighting with Leo and Raph, and leave me behind."

The purple-masked turtle winced. "Yeah...I don't think that's gonna happen."

Mike motioned to the bags of herbs he was handling. "Can you work and talk at the same time? Then you won't have to waste another hour just explaining things to me."

"Mikey, you aren't a waste."

"Still, you have stuff to do. Can you pull your blend together in the kitchen?"

He nodded, but his troubled expression remained. It didn't escape Mike while he filled a kettle with water, and took it to the stove. The orange-masked turtle waited until his brother had spread out supplies on the table before trying to resume their conversation.

"Why wouldn't you wanna patrol, Donny? Raph made it sound like you impressed him. That ain't easy to do."

"Mike, it was no big deal. Some creeps tried to kidnap a couple of kids. I barely did anything."

"Bet if I talked to the kids, they wouldn't say that."

"They wouldn't have much to report, bro. It was over really quick."

Michelangelo sent a questioning glance over his shoulder. "You don't need to act like this was nothing because of me, Don. What was it like?"

The older turtle focused solely on the herb he was taking apart. "I don't usually look down," he admitted. "I think in the past, I avoided interactions on purpose. As often as we run the rooftops, there could have been more opportunities to act, but I never wanted to know about them. Honestly? I blocked out potential problems intentionally."

"You wanted to stay outta trouble. Why was that time different?"

"I don't know."

"Yeah you do, Donny. Why make this harder than it is?"

"Since when do I make anything easy? You've been dragging things out of me from the time we learned to talk."

"Focus," the youth ordered. "Why was it different?"

"Because I _saw_ them, Mike. They were in trouble, and no one else was around to help."

Michelangelo held his gaze, willing Donatello not to break eye contact with him. "If you could go back, would you change it?"

Don seemed perplexed by the question. "I don't regret defending them. That doesn't mean I belong up there on a regular basis."

Mike decided to switch tactics. "Tell me more about how it felt. Were you scared, nervous?"

"Not exactly. There wasn't time to feel much of anything. First I was only reacting, and then I got mad."

"Who were you mad at? The bad guys?"

"I wanted to tear their arms off. Never felt that kind of violence before, and it was kinda disturbing."

"Okay, but you didn't, right?"

"No." His answer was so soft, Mike barely heard it.

"What else, Donny? Forget the baddies, and tell me about the kids."

"It was like...waking up. That's how I described it to Leo and Raph. For a couple minutes, it felt as if my life meant something. I was there for a reason."

"Don. You always mean something," the nine-year-old reproved.

"That wasn't only about the kids, Mike. It was teaming up with the guys. For once, thinking I actually fit with them. But it was only a feeling, and things are different now."

"What's different, bro? You already said you wouldn't change it."

"Everything's changed," he said morosely, staring at the table.

"Not everything. Those kids didn't. The way it made you feel is still the same."

"Why are you pushing this? Do you honestly think _any_ of us belong up there?"

"Are you saying Leo and Raph are wrong for doing it?"

"Right or wrong isn't the point. It's still dangerous, and when it comes to me, I know Master Splinter won't be in favor."

Mike grimaced. "You're probably right there. But you're not gonna be ten years old forever. In the end, I bet Sensei will say it's your choice, just like our bros."

"But it doesn't make any sense," Donny countered. "We're never gonna be a part of their world, and we don't dare let them into ours. We'd be risking our lives, for what? Anything can happen on the surface. We could get shot, hurt, discovered...All of our nightmares are bound to come true. Why would any of us choose to do this?"

"Only one thing has changed since you saved those kids, Donny. Do I have to tell you what it is?"

His brother didn't respond, so Mike took his silence as a 'yes'.

"This has nothing to do with stepping in on the bad guys. It's about the cops."

"Of course it is!" he snapped. "All it took was one person wigging out. _One_."

"They didn't know any better, Donny."

"All the more reason to stay away from them. I mean...where do we draw the line? When is enough, enough? If Leo and Raph don't stop, something's gonna happen, Mikey. Maybe not right away, but eventually? Everything will go to hell, just like the warehouse.

"The bad guys aren't the only ones who are dangerous, Mike. It's everyone. All humans need to be considered a threat."

"Then you have to change your answer about the kids, Donny. How does 'no regrets' go along with avoiding all of them?"

"It doesn't. I get that, but I can't change the way I feel. If Leo and Raph don't stop, they'll pay a massive price. I guarantee it."

Splinter's similar words rang in Mike's memory, but the orange-masked turtle wasn't about to repeat them. "Pretty sure they think it's worth it, Don. What about you? Tell me about waking up."

Donatello crossed arms over his plastron. "I was alive," he returned wistfully. "Well, I always have been. But for that second, it didn't matter if they were human, or dangerous. I didn't even think about it. I've never felt that kind of connection with strangers before."

"Isn't it possible that not all humans are dangerous?" Mike ventured.

"Anything is possible. It doesn't mean we should constantly risk our lives."

"Would it be different if they were like us? Or if we were like them?"

"It would be a lot safer."

"Not from the bad guys. They're trouble either way, Don. So why'd you help someone who was different?"

"Because they could have died! They didn't deserve that. But at the same time, it doesn't change anything. We are what we are, and they're still human. We don't fit in with them, and we're not going to. If I never have to go near another person, I'll be ecstatic."

Mike snorted. "You don't mean that. You're just tripping off the thing with the cops. Donny, most humans aren't our natural enemies, y'know? They've never seen anyone like us, and they're clueless. Does that make them all evil?"

"No, they aren't," he conceded. "The majority of them are probably only trying to live out their regular lives."

"Right, bro. They don't hate us. They don't even _know_ us."

"They're not going to, Mikey. They can't. We couldn't make friends or introduce ourselves. How do we know who to trust?"

"I dunno, Donny. I think it's a narrow way to look at them. We're not that different from some of those people."

It was his brother's turn to snort. "Sure, we're exactly the same. That's why we live underground, only come out at night, and steal food from wherever we can get it."

"That's the outside, Don. Don't you think judging them for being human is about as bad as someone judging us for being turtles? They didn't pick to be born this way, anymore than we chose to be mutants. They got dealt their card, and we got ours. Does that make you mad?"

"I'm not mad at most of them, Mike. That doesn't mean I want to meet people for the sake of curiosity. "

"I'm not setting up for a party, bro. But if we ran across someone else by accident, I'm not gonna hold the fact that they're a human against them. Those teens from the warehouse the other night were okay. They got themselves into trouble with the Crypts, yet they still turned out to be cool. They had the chance to get a real look at me and didn't do it, just because I asked them not to."

"Hadn't you already saved their lives?"

"That doesn't mean they had to do what I said. They knew I was a kid, and still listened. And what about the cop who gave us a head start?"

"He called us in eventually, Mike."

"But he didn't have to wait. I'm positive he wasn't supposed to. He did his best to help us out, and was faithful to his job too. He showed us a little mercy."

"We showed _him_ mercy," Donny corrected. "Leo and Raph could have done whatever they wanted with him." He scooted his chair back from the table. "Is the water ready yet?"

Michelangelo stole a glimpse of the kettle he'd been ignoring. "Yeah, I've got you."

While carrying the pot to the table, he fixed his brother with a stern look. "Don't let this thing with the cops change you, Don. None of them knew what they were doing."

"It reinforces the need to avoid contact with humans."

"They do a lot of good things-"

"They tried to kill us for merely existing."

"We surprised somebody, Donny. He was outnumbered and terrified. How would you have reacted?"

"I wouldn't have shot at someone."

"But you know better, because you were raised this way. He didn't expect any of that. It was a huge misunderstanding. If the cops realized we were good guys, I don't think they woulda tried to kill us."

"They still did," he retorted, anger persisting.

"Does it change how you feel about those kids?"

"They had nothing to do with it."

"Neither do most of the people we'll run across. I'm not telling ya to go introduce yourself to a bunch of humans, Don. But you have to get over what happened with the cops. A few bad guys don't speak for all humans, and the same goes for the silly people from the other night. Are you gonna let one experience make you give up on everybody?"

"I don't know about you, Mikey, but I don't have a relationship with humans to give up on. I think it ought to stay like that."

"You say that now, Donny, but you can't see what might happen later. If I were you, I write 'em all off."


	34. Future

Splinter was having a hard time gauging the passage of time, but he _felt_ like he'd been lying in his bed forever. Internally he recognized there was no choice when it came to accepting the arrangement, yet it often affected his mood in adverse ways.

He was secretly pleased with his sons for assisting him and each other, but the indefinite nature of his current "sentence" was disheartening. The rat would have had an easier time withstanding it if he could see a light at the end of the tunnel, but that didn't appear to exist.

Splinter had spent far too much time sleeping for his own taste, making it more difficult to determine what day it was, and how many had passed. He lived for the times he awakened with enough presence of mind to actually speak with one of his sons.

It was a rare occurrence to not find one of his boys near his side. While he hated the turtles' concern, he still craved their company, and the assurance that life would continue as normal. Donatello was there more often than the others, but he was also the most silent.

It wasn't unusual for the purple-masked turtle to be quiet from time to time, but Splinter sensed how disturbed the young one was. He hadn't possessed the energy to probe deeply into his son's state of mind yet, and could only allow Donatello's anxiety to fall to the wayside.

Typically when Splinter came around to find his purple-masked son, Donatello was occupied with something else, and often on his computer. So when he opened his eyes to find the ten-year-old merely waiting beside him, the rat was surprised.

"Donatello? Are you well?"

He nodded, though Splinter read the nerves his son was trying to contain. "How's your pain, Sensei?"

"It is...tolerable." His head injury was a mere annoyance which he preferred not to address. He sent a glance down to his leg in Donatello's homemade traction, and experienced a wave of fear he didn't want to admit out loud.

Splinter had wanted to ask his son's opinion before, but never managed to form the words. _And Donatello has not offered any information from his studies, which probably means nothing good._

"What day is it, musuko? How long have we been home?"

"It's been about five days since we left the warehouse, Master. You seem a little more awake tonight."

"I have had nothing to do except rest," he grumbled.

"You've earned it, Otosan. I'm sorry you're stuck like this for now, but it's for your own good."

The rat grunted under his breath, irritated despite the truth of Donatello's words. A thoughtful look crossed the turtle's eyes, which could have been interpreted many ways. He knew his son wanted to speak, yet the youth didn't open his mouth.

"What is on your mind, Donatello?" he asked pointedly.

The turtle ducked his head momentarily. Then he peered at the door over his shoulder, as though afraid someone else was listening to him.

"My son, speak. I do not possess the energy to beg you."

"Sorry, I just...um..." He still hesitated, but then met Splinter's gaze. "I spent a little time at the library earlier this evening. Needed to download some new information, and I checked my email too."

Splinter eyed him shrewdly, detecting the tremor the ten-year-old struggled to contain. "What did you discover, musuko?"

"Master Splinter, I sold my ebay lot."

The rat sat up a couple more inches. "You are speaking of the baseball cards?"

"Yeah, Sensei. It, uh...there was a bidding war between two users, and it drove up the price. The winner owns some memorabilia store on the Upper East side. It's out of the way, but I'll get Leo or Raph to go with me to deliver. The plan is to drop it off like it was sent through the mail. That's why I limited the auction to local people."

Splinter nodded. "It appears your long term strategy was successful. I congratulate you, my son. What did your cards end up selling for, if you do not mind me asking?"

He noted Donatello swallow deeply. "It...went for just over $9,600."

The rat was so startled that he jerked too hard, and collapsed on the mattress with a low groan.

"Easy, Otosan," his son soothed. "Are you okay?"

Splinter winced and released a shaky breath. "This is unexpected."

"I know, but the money's all there. I already checked my Venmo card. I can use the ATM to get out a couple hundred at a time." Donatello offered him a half smile while reaching for his belt, and withdrawing a handful of bills.

"Leo and Raph don't know yet. Mike is the one who went with me tonight. This couldn't have come at a better time, with winter bearing down on us. The money is going to help a lot."

Despite the youth's enthusiasm, Splinter considered the money from another angle. "Donatello, have you given thought to anything besides food? There are other things such funds could be used for."

"Taking care of this family is all I'm concerned about. I'm really relieved, Otosan."

"I am proud of you, my son, but I would still like an answer. If you could do anything with this money, what would you put it toward?"

Now the purple-masked turtle looked confused. "It'll get us through the next few months easier."

"And what will happen after that?"

"I guess...we'll get by, the same way we always have. I'm gonna keep searching for things I can sell on the internet, though I doubt I'll find anything else as good as the baseball cards."

Donatello fingered the plastic binder full of cards that his father knew well. "I always figured someone didn't mean to throw them away. Had to be a ticked off girlfriend or a fed-up mom." He chuckled suddenly. "But it will be nice to get rid of stress for a while."

"Musuko, you are only focusing on the moment. What about the future?"

"Sensei, you're always telling us to be present in the moment."

"Yes, that is true. But sometimes in order to succeed, one must also look ahead."

"Otosan, what are you talking about? Why am I supposed to look into the future? Our family needs things now."

"We have needs," Splinter acknowledged. "But those you seem most concerned for can only be temporarily met. Once food is eaten, it cannot do us any more good."

The turtle's brow furrowed. "I suppose. What are you trying to tell me, Master?"

"I want you to forget about our immediate needs, my son. Tell me about your dreams. Those things you would do if there were no limitations, and nothing to hinder you."

"Dreams?"

"Yes. If you could do anything you desired with the available funds, how would you spend it?"

"That's...I don't know, Sensei. I've never thought that way before."

Splinter couldn't contain irritation this time. "One thing, Donatello. Surely you have a single item you have longed to acquire."

"I would definitely look into some fiber optics," he admitted. "There's quite a bit of hardware to install to gain access to the internet. Letting the library be a thing of the past and accessing the web from my own computer is a dream, for sure. I'd also prefer to pay for the internet somehow, but it would require finagling. I'd have to break into a physical provider on the surface, create an account. There are a lot of logistics involved, including fashioning some kind of signal booster that would work underground."

"What else?"

The simple question made Donatello visibly nervous, though Splinter couldn't fathom why.

"Um...I would build a lab. Like, a real one. But that stuff is kind of selfish. It's why I don't like to think about it. Whatever we do with this money, it's got to be for all of us. Not just me."

"Musuko, why do you wish to build a lab? What are your reasons for seeking that type of work?"

The youth was quiet for a good minute. "I have ideas, Master, and theories about the way things work. But I don't have the ability to perform tests, or supplies to run experiments. I've been trying to find more alternative methods for medication which is agreeable with our physiology.

"I don't know what I can accomplish, but doing anything would require chemical components and equipment that I can't get from the dump. I have dreams about making things too. A radio with a longer range, or even something closer to a phone. I'd love to fix up machines like I did the computer, and try building more things of my own."

He paused, finally making eye contact. "Ideally, it'd be nice to have some options. You got away from this disaster without needing a blood transfusion, Sensei, but what if it had been worse? What are the chances that none of us will ever need a donation?

"Then with your leg, having to rely on touch alone, and not being able to see what's happening inside...There's so much technology out there. If I could learn how to use some of it, adapt things for our situation...It could save someone's life.

"But all of that seems out of reach, Master Splinter. It's much easier to focus on basic needs than to climb a mountain. This is too big for me."

"My son, you described your desire for a lab as 'selfish'. Yet everything you explained just now would encompass a benefit for our entire family."

"Sensei, I can't. This is far beyond what I'm capable of. I need to keep learning from you, and do the best I can with what I have to work with."

"For that which you choose to settle," Splinter corrected. "It is not the 'best' you can. You are only referring to the path of least resistance."

"Otosan, what do you want me to say? I don't know how to do any of this. Ideas and theories won't help our family."

"Not if you do nothing with them. How much would it cost to begin?"

"I have no idea."

"Are you aware of how to get the items you need?"

Donatello's guilty grimace made Splinter smile. "You _have _studied this matter."

"Not in the sense that I was going to do it. The internet is an effective way to find and buy things, since it requires no physical interaction."

"But once you purchase items, how would you acquire them?"

The turtle brightened. "You know those companies that rent out storage spaces? I found one that also accepts shipments during the day. So If I got in there to learn the system, set up an account and rent a space...All I would have to do is sneak in at night when they're closed and get shipments from my own unit. At least...uh...in theory."

"You have considered this a great deal."

"Daydreams mostly," he squeaked.

"Donatello." Splinter reached for his wrist. "Build your lab."

The turtle backed away slightly. "Otosan, I can't. I don't know how."

"Learn."

"I can't pull knowledge out of mid-air-"

"How did you learn to repair a computer? Or perform first aid that rivals my own?"

"You taught me most of it-"

"Not everything. And I provided no instruction about computers. You did it by yourself. I will continue to help and support you any way I can, musuko. But you _are_ capable of learning exactly what you need. You only have to focus on one task at a time, like installing your internet."

"This is a huge project, Sensei. I don't have time to deal with it yet."

"You can still prepare. I want you to do this, Donatello."

"Why? Why are you pushing me to spend money when we need it for other things?"

"My son, I want to protect this family. _You_ want to protect this family. We have little to no resources currently. If you are all going to survive your adolescence, I believe you are going to need the options you spoke of. So build it."

Donatello sighed sharply. "I don't think Leo and Raph will like this. They won't understand."

"You will have to show them. Keep your money, Donatello, and begin to obtain the things you require."

"But Master, I really believe I can afford to put some of it towards food and other supplies we need _now_."

"Then divide some money out. Use it wisely, and invest the rest into our future."

"We have to consider better nutritional sources," Donatello suggested. "We've got to start getting more protein. It's hindering our muscular development."

"What do you have in mind?"

"A whey-rich source of protein which won't spoil quickly and would be easy to keep on hand. Something with good ingredients that we can turn into a drink. It might not be the best tasting thing ever, but I need your help convincing the guys to take it. After they see some results they might be more willing to play along, but there will probably be some initial persuasion required."

"I will tell them refusing is not an option."

"Okay. I'll get some powder ordered, as soon as I have the storage situation figured out."

Splinter was pleased by the progress of their conversation, but now turned to deal with the unsavory matter. "My son. I need for you to explain what you have learned about _my_ injury. I sense you would rather avoid this, but that will not change it in the least."

"I'm not avoiding it, Master. There are a lot of things I don't know yet."

"Please tell me your thoughts, musuko. What have you been reading?"

The turtle rubbed the back of his head anxiously. "Even without an x-ray, the extent of the damage I feel indicates a need for surgery."

"Which we both realize is not possible. Are there any alternatives?"

"There's physical therapy, which is what I've been pouring over for the last couple of days."

"Is the therapy going to be enough, Donatello?"

"With the right regime, you should regain the use of your leg. B-but, it's not going to be the same. There's a strong chance you're going to be permanently hampered. As far as ninjutsu...I hope you'll be able to continue, given the time to recover."

It was no less than Splinter expected, but witnessing his son's discomfort in delivering the news hurt the rat internally. "Musuko, I knew this would likely be the case, since I am not able to receive the level of 'professional' care that one in my position needs. I believe you are the reason I will walk again at all."

Donatello shook his head, clearly emotional. "That's because you're epic, not because of me, Otosan."

When Splinter reached out again, his son willingly caught his hand that time. "We will get through this."

The turtle nodded, but still seemed miserable. "I wish it wasn't you."

"Musuko, I will rise up from this challenge, as I have many others. Do not permit guilt to cloud your mind."

"But it's hard when-"

The rat squeezed his hand tighter. "You are not responsible for the grenade. Do you not grasp how much worse this could have been? Thanks to your actions along with your brothers, everyone survived. We made it home."

"A lot of that was Leo. I don't know what you remember, but he was amazing."

"Your brothers said the same of you, Donatello. I am not surprised by any of it."

The youth ducked his head again. "Did they also tell you that...well, I...I deviated?"

The term puzzled Splinter. "Deviated how?"

The purple-masked turtle lightly pulled his hand back. "One of the nights we were out looking for you. I saw some kids in trouble, and I did something about it. Not by myself," he added rapidly. "Leo and Raph were there too. I'm sorry, Sensei. I felt like I didn't have a choice. If I hadn't acted, they could be dead."

"They likely would be." Splinter fought to steady his voice, but the admission from his son made knots twist in his stomach.

"I know I'm not ready, and I shouldn't have done it. But I couldn't leave them, Otosan."

"You could have. It was your choice," the rat negated.

"Are you mad? You don't have to be. I don't plan to do it again. I'm not Leo and Raph. Working together felt great, but I'm not cut out for this."

Splinter didn't want to have the conversation. He was already experiencing so much anxiety for his older sons, the thought of Donatello joining them was absolutely horrifying.

"I am not angry," he said faintly, only to reassure him. "I am concerned."

"I won't do it again, Master. I promise, I'll stay away from humans."

"My son, if you have already been driven to protect them, I fear it is _bound_ to happen again."

"No, it won't," he insisted. "I don't want to be around them. Humans aren't worth the trouble they could bring us."

Splinter cocked his head, automatically replying before he could stop himself. "All life has value, Donatello. It is not right to say they have no worth."

"I don't mean it like that, Sensei. But why should we be involved? Why risk everything that could go wrong?"

"Why did you help someone to begin with?"

"Because I had to! Nobody else was around. I was there."

"If you saw such things again, do you honestly believe you could resist it?"

"I don't know, so I won't let it go that far. I don't have to look down when I go out. I'll stay on the roofs, and that won't happen."

Splinter wanted to agree with the course of action, but words escaped him. It took an eternity to find the will to reply. "You are very young. It is perhaps better to avoid altercations at this time. But you cannot ignore everything which happens around you forever, Donatello.

"You are going to see unspeakable things once more. You will be forced to make decisions you do not like. But you should not allow recent events to color your mind, or cause you to value the lives of others less. What if it was one of your brothers or myself, musuko? If someone had the power to help us, would you not prefer for them to act?"

"But Otosan...I didn't think you would want me near them either."

"It is not what I _want_ for any of you. Yet do you imagine there is something you could say to deter Leonardo and Raphael from performing such acts?"

"I doubt it. I'm still scared though. Those cops almost killed us a bunch of times."

"That is why you must keep training, and only use violence as a last resort. It should not be your first choice, Donatello. You are not wrong for wanting to avoid conflict. However if some fights are not faced, if evil goes unchecked...there are varieties which will only continue to grow."

"Why do we have to face it? Why should it be up to us?"

"You do not have to do anything, musuko."

"I felt like I _did_. And that's not fair."

"It is always your choice, my son. When the time comes to make it again, I am confident you will know what to do. For now, on the basis of my own peace of mind, I would prefer for you to refrain."

"Yeah. It seems too soon anyway, and I'm still not sure how I feel about this. I'm not gonna patrol, Sensei."

"You will continue your training with me?"

"Of course, Otosan. I don't wanna quit, not just because I'd rather forget the rest of the world exists."

"Many humans are quite remarkable, Donatello. They are brave, strong, selfless, and compassionate. I fear you are allowing these recent events to cloud your perception of people. Many are willing to sacrifice their lives, stand up for what is right, and discover cures that save others. There is much goodness in the human race. I can tell you that from personal experience."

"I'm sure there is, Sensei. The problem is knowing who's who."

"Is a life less valuable because it is not upstanding, my son?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Did you try to kill the guilty men in your own encounter?"

"No, Master. I wouldn't have done that."

"Why not, Donatello?"

"I didn't need to kill them. Taking them down was enough, especially since someone else arrived."

"Their lives are still worth something," Splinter reiterated.

"When they choose to do evil things, it doesn't seem like they should be," he grumbled.

"But it is not for you to decide, musuko. You cannot determine whether someone is worthy to live or die. That is much too great of a burden to carry."

"I get it, Otosan. I don't honestly believe they're worthless either, this is just...complicated. Like everything else."

"Some complications are easier to solve as a family. Are you accepting enough help from your brothers?"

Donatello nodded rapidly. "They're helping a ton. Leo and Raph are even getting along better. They still disagree, but it isn't like before. I'm hoping the change might be permanent."

"Your brothers are not perfect. Yet it does seem they may have learned a few things through the ordeal."

"I think we all did," the young turtle murmured.

"What did you learn?" Splinter took the opportunity to ask.

The ten-year-old appeared to ponder the question deeply. "I learned that...I have to speak up. I can't keep everything in, or details will get lost."

"What else?"

"Leo and Raph may fight a lot, but they care about each other too. I've seen the proof."

"Keep going, Donatello."

"They trust me," he said quieter. "Somehow, them believing that I can do something, makes me think I might be able to do even more."

"You can do more," the rat affirmed. "You can make right decisions. You can build a laboratory, and follow the instincts which have guided you all along."

"_Your_ influence has guided me, Otosan."

"I lack your intelligence, musuko."

"That's not true. And even if it was, you could still kick my shell with the use of only one leg."

"I will come back from this, Donatello," he proclaimed, determined. "Find me the exercises. Help me with a plan. I am not ready to get out of this bed yet, but that day will not be forever in coming."


	35. Better

Leonardo tried very hard to maintain a stern glance, but it was difficult to achieve when his mouth was nearly watering. The sight and smell of _fresh_ pizza was almost more than he could take, especially since his brothers were already digging in.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me _before _you do something like this," the teen managed, fixing his red-masked brother with a look.

Raphael returned with a cocky smile. "It wasn't nothin', Leo, and we didn't scam the guy. Genius called in the pizza from a payphone." He jerked a thumb toward the ten-year-old.

Donny's gaze was slightly more ashamed, but he didn't have a chance to speak.

"I swiped the food when he was distracted, and we left money to pay for everything. So explain to me what we did wrong," Raph challenged.

Leo's jaw clenched with remaining tension. "You didn't bother telling me."

"Bro, I ain't never told you everything. Do you really wanna lecture us right now? 'Cause we'll probably finish the pizza before you're through."

The blue-masked turtle sighed. "You're impossible."

"It wasn't his fault," Donny squeaked. "It was mine, so you can be mad at me."

"I'm not mad about the food," the teen clarified. "I just don't like being in the dark. I need to know you're all right."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "We were never in danger, Fearless."

"Guys, please? All I want is a head's up. I know you're not stupid." Leonardo eyed the sausage pizza longingly as Mike grabbed a couple pieces for another plate. "What are you doing? Saving leftovers? I haven't had any yet."

"It's for Sensei," Michelangelo told him. "He's been living off soup and tea for almost two weeks. I think he'd like some real food."

"Uh, hold on," Don inserted. "I'm not sure if...well..."

"There's nothing wrong with his stomach," the nine-year-old protested. "His head is feeling better. There's no real reason he can't try something else, is there?"

"I guess, if he wants to." Donatello glanced toward the med-lab. "Let me check how he's feeling, guys. Don't eat anything else yet, okay?"

Raphael sent him a confused look. "You don't want us to eat any if he can't?"

"Just hold off for a couple minutes. I'll be right back."

The purple-masked turtle disappeared into the adjoining room, and Leo took the chance to procure three slices of pizza from the second box. The cheesy goodness was hard to resist, but his brother had a reason for asking them to wait, and he wanted to respect Don's wishes.

The younger turtle emerged a few seconds later. "Guys, c'mon in." He motioned for them to enter the lab.

"Sensei wants to eat?" Mike sounded more excited for their father to have pizza than he'd been to enjoy it.

"Master Splinter would like it to try it, and he's up for company. Bring the food in."

Leonardo briefly felt guilty for not offering him anything more than toast earlier, but the bad feelings melted away when he entered the next room and saw Splinter's smile.

"It is long since I smelled a pizza this way," the rat admitted. "I am used to the scent from afar."

"Yeah, and it ain't old or already eaten off of," Raphael added. "Donny and I didn't steal it, Master. We paid fair and square, then tipped the guy something too. Don said you're supposed to."

"Those drivers don't make a living wage," the purple-masked turtle mentioned. "They rely on tips to help make ends meet."

"Hey, it's your money, Genius." Raphael accepted the explanation so easily, Leo was shocked.

"May I sit up a little more?" Splinter requested.

Donatello brought a couple more blankets to roll up behind his pillows, elevating him a few inches further. "You can go ahead and try to eat, Otosan. Pizza doesn't get much fresher than this."

Leo hunkered down in a semi-circle with his brothers on the floor while Donny gave their father his plate. Despite the excitement over an incredibly rare treat, the teen felt like the energy in the room was slightly subdued. He merely nibbled on his first slice of pizza while waiting to see how Splinter did with his own.

"What do ya think, Sensei?" Raphael piped up.

"My very first meal in the United States was pizza. I found it be greasy, and it left me heavy for hours afterward."

Leonardo's heart started to sink, but he noticed Splinter's smile widen.

"Now I can appreciate the flavor of the sauce, the slight variations in cheese, and the seasoning of the sausage. A better sense of smell can be a gift, in many respects."

"You like it, Master Splinter?" Don asked, though it didn't seem necessary. "It's not gonna bother your stomach?"

"I will eat slowly to make sure, Donatello, but I do not foresee any issues. You might try enjoying some too."

"Oh. Yeah." The ten-year-old looked down at his forgotten plate and bit off the end of a triangular slice. Leonardo felt Don's sigh of relief as if it were his own. "It's so good."

"We've got you to thank for it." Mike grinned. "You made this happen, bro."

"Raph and I went together-"

"With your money," the red-masked turtle reminded him. "You pulled the auction off, Donny. Own it."

Don's smile was a little shy. "I think I got lucky."

"You were patient," Leo returned. "More patient than I wanted you to be. I'm sorry I didn't believe in your method, bro. You were right about the auction all along."

"I didn't know if it would work, Leo. It was only a theory."

"And you were right," the teen repeated. He held up a piece of his uneaten pizza. "To Donny."

His brothers responded in kind, though Mike's full mouth made speech unintelligible. Donatello ducked his head, but at least he didn't downplay the compliment like usual.

"How much did the lot go for anyway?" Leonardo had no idea the casual question would nearly make his little brother panic.

"Um...well...it was more than I expected to get," he answered vaguely. "It will help us stay afloat for a while."

Leo's brow furrowed at his brother's refusal to give him a number. _I'm not gonna try to drag it out of him. Things are much too peaceful to start a fight over something that silly. He must be feeling a little territorial of his profits, but it _is_ his money. No matter how many times he's said it belongs to everyone._

He came out of contemplation to find Donny gazing at him anxiously, like Leonardo was preparing to bite his head off. Instead, the teen forced an even expression.

"Think you can do it again, Don?"

Donatello laughed, still sounding nervous. "I don't know if I'll ever hit the same jackpot, but it won't hurt me to try. I'll keep searching for material to sell. Even lightning occasionally strikes twice."

"Oh, Sensei," Mike spoke up so suddenly, Leo had a feeling the youngest turtle was intentionally changing the subject. He was happy to let him.

"I forgot to tell you that we have dessert covered too," the youth went on. "Remember when you promised me you'd try some chocolate? Leo and Raph grabbed some along with everything else we took from Reid's last week."

Leonardo's eyes widened at once. He and Raphael hadn't mentioned the side trip to Splinter, and he received a predictably sharp glance at his brother's announcement.

"I was not aware you went back there," the rat said stiffly.

"It was no big deal," Raphael said smoothly. "We need to make up for some of those gaps in our meals, Sensei. We're trying to eat more stuff and get stronger."

"And better things are coming," Don added, in a way that suggested _he _was changing the subject that time.

Leo was grateful to the purple-masked turtle, but couldn't help shooting Michelangelo an evil eye. _It's not really Mike's fault though. Raph and I should have just told Master Splinter we were going, but I didn't want him to worry._

"When you say 'better things', are you really talking about something nasty?" Mike demanded. "I'm not drinking any wheatgrass, Donny."

"Who said anything about wheatgrass? Where did you get that from, Mikey?"

"I saw it in some freaky infomercial. You've been going on about protein and vitamins in some powder form. It sounds gross."

Chocolate brown eyes narrowed. "I don't care if you like it or not. My goal isn't to get you something that tastes amazing. It has to be good for us."

"Dude, food can be both! Why are you rocking my boat?"

"The powdered supplement won't expire as quickly, and we can get it to stretch further. You're going to take whatever I give you, and not complain one bit."

Leonardo wasn't thrilled by the sound of the supplement either, but the prospect of putting on weight and muscle seemed like a good trade off.

Michelangelo made a face back at him. "We can talk about you force-feeding me when your crap gets here, Donny."

"Just for that, you're taking it first."

"Only if you can catch me, bro."

Donatello's chuckle was slightly evil. "You think I'll announce myself? You're not gonna know when, where, or how."

"If you're selling tickets, I wanna watch," Raphael requested.

"Where ya gonna find money to pay for tickets?" the orange-masked turtle retorted.

"I'll borrow it from the genius. You won't mind, right, Donny?"

"No, Raph. Or you can help me catch him, and we both win."

Leonardo chuckled. "This would be easier if you don't make a big deal out of it, Mikey. Nobody will have to gang up on you if you take the medicine without a fight."

"It's not medicine," Don protested. "And it doesn't have to taste horrible. I'm sure I can find a way to make it palatable."

"'Palatable' sounds like some secret word for torture," Mike complained. "If it can taste good, why don't more people use the stuff? I watch TV. A lot of the things humans call healthy look disgusting."

"It won't be loaded with sugar and fats, but that doesn't mean we can't make it good," Donny insisted. "Why are you being a stubborn pain in the shell?"

"Sensei doesn't even want to eat chocolate," the nine-year-old grumbled. "How can you force me to drink random junk when he won't try something he's never had?"

Leo was nearly aghast by Mike's comparison, but Splinter nodded tolerantly.

"I will try whatever you wish, Michelangelo. I cannot guarantee I will eat all of it. But you are also not permitted to resist your brother's effort to provide more nutrition. Is that clear?"

The youth instantly brightened. "That was the only thing I wanted, Otosan."

He dug into a plastic bag in the corner, and came up with a handful of blue label-wrapped bars. "This is called 'candy', Sensei," Mike explained importantly. "It's one of those things you've been missing your entire life."

"Then please bring one here, Michelangelo, so I may call myself a complete person."

Splinter's faint sarcasm made Leonardo snort, because he wasn't used to hearing it from their father. The teen was willing to admit enjoying one of the bars already, while also fearing what the excess sugar could do to the hyperactive youngest turtle.

_I don't know how Sensei will feel about it either, but Mike's not gonna let this go._

"I do not want you to continue trying to force things on me," Splinter implored. "Allow me to attempt one of these, and then do not badger me anymore, musuko."

"I won't, Otosan. I said you only had to try one piece, didn't I?"

Michelangelo tore the wrapper open and broke off a chunk of the Oreo snack bar for him. There was a dramatic pause while Leo waited for some reaction from their father.

_He won't like it. Splinter has never been around sweets, or had any need for them. Hopefully Mike will lay off after he proves this point._

When onyx eyes widened, the blue-masked turtle feared Splinter's distaste for the treat was worse than he imagined. The rat merely inclined his head toward Mike and pointed to the candy bar.

"Do you want another piece, Master?"

The sheepish way Splinter nodded was mystifying. "I believe I require more to make an informed decision."

The orange-masked turtle managed not to smirk while handing over the rest of the bar.

"Michelangelo, I do not need all of it."

"Yeah ya do, Sensei. You don't have to pretend for anybody. He's allowed to like chocolate, isn't he, guys?"

"All things in moderation," Donny suggested.

The red-masked turtle shrugged. "What's it hurt anything?"

To Leonardo, their Master seemed torn. He felt he needed to speak too. "It's pretty natural, isn't it, Don? I mean, not all the ingredients, but chocolate grows in the wild. It can't be that bad for you."

Splinter sighed softly. "I do not _want_ to like it. But I am going to finish this."

Mike pumped a fist triumphantly. "I told you! Didn't I tell you?"

"Yes, you told me," the rat allowed. "And now I expect you to take whatever your brother gives you without question."

"But my stuff tastes good!"

Raphael captured the smallest turtle in a headlock. "C'mon, Mikey, ya need to beef up a little anyway. I need something bigger to hit in sparring."

Don nodded excitedly. "You're gonna beef up too, Raph. You wait and see what happens when we combine training with the right diet."

Mike squealed from under the twelve-year-old's arm. "Donny, why are you encouraging this?"

"If there was a better reason for taking your 'medicine', Mike, I can't think of one," Leo jabbed. "The rest of us are down for it. Do you wanna be the one who stops growing?"

"I feel like that's a threat." The youngest groaned.

"You cooperate, or _I'll _give ya threat," Raph stated seriously, drawing the orange-masked turtle over his shoulder. "I still ain't dealt with you for scaring the shell out of all of us disappearing that way."

Leonardo gave his brother a withering look when Mike's screech reached a new high, and Raphael winked at him.

"So you gonna listen to Donny, Pipsqueak, or do I gotta convince you some other way?"

"I'm _listening!_"

Splinter's chuckle surprised Leonardo, who'd temporarily forgotten their father was present. "Put down your brother, Raphael. I believe Michelangelo will give his full cooperation when the time comes. Is that true, musuko?"

The orange-masked turtle staggered backwards when Raph plunked him on his feet. "I never said I wouldn't take the gross protein. Can't I at least doctor it up a little bit?"

"That will depend on what you intend to add," Donny replied, wary. "Maybe we can work together on it."

"Yeah, now see, Raphy? It doesn't all need to end in violence."

Raphael snickered at the nine-year-old. "It's so much more fun though, especially with you, Mike."

Leonardo snuck another glance of Splinter, and found the rat's expression a little apprehensive. "He doesn't really wanna hurt him," he felt compelled to explain.

Their Master relaxed into another smile. "I know, Leonardo. A few days ago I was questioning whether training you to perform such deadly skills was the right thing to do. I believe I have the answer."

Leo exchanged a nervous glance with Raph. "Mike mentioned how you feel about our activity on the surface. I heard you talked with Raphael about it too. Otosan, if you forbid us, we won't go anymore. But ignoring the problems won't make them disappear, any more than those cops did."

"The police helped me to realize what I could not see previously," Splinter told him.

The teen made swift eye contact with his brothers in the circle. "Sensei, I take responsibility for the warehouse. If mistakes were made, I was the one telling everybody what to do. It's not their fault for listening to me. We were just trying to get out alive."

"You accomplished your goal," Splinter said evenly.

"Y-yes. But a lot of people had the chance to see us along the way. We attracted attention on purpose. I basically burned down a power station by accident. We stole a car, and I told Raph to crash it. We broke a ton of stuff, and put our hands on several officers. It sounds even worse when I repeat everything, yet once again, those actions are on me. I'm sorry, Otosan."

"Wasn't all your fault," Raph objected. "I suggested taking the car."

"And I hot-wired the vehicle," Don said quietly. "I'm the reason we could steal it."

"I'm only the one who got us stuck out there," Michelangelo asserted. "So it isn't on Leo. You can't just be mad at him."

Splinter cocked his head. "Michelangelo, do I sound angry?"

"Well...I know we made some mistakes, but nobody screwed up like I did."

"My sons. Listen to me, and stop defending each other. I want all of you to kneel here, right now."

Leonardo automatically fell into the correct seiza position, prepared to accept the worst.

"Ninjutsu is not something any of us can afford to take lightly," Splinter began. "I have explained that it is akin to weaponizing your entire bodies. The skills demand a great degree of control, as well as compassion. The two don't seem related at first, but the cooperation of these traits will determine the course your lives take."

The rat paused for a couple beats. "I understand there are many things from the warehouse which you regret. But I would also like to remind you of what you were up against. We were cornered, not by evil men, but individuals who were willing to do us harm, based on an incorrect perception.

"You could not have convinced them to let you go. Had you surrendered to the police, the ending would have been far worse for all of us. You were faced with a situation that appeared to lack hope for a successful escape. But you not only forged a way out, you destroyed no one in the process."

Raphael snickered, breaking the somber atmosphere. "Don't know about that, Master. We might have embarrassed a few of them to death."

Splinter folded arms in irritation. "Allow me to speak, my son. I have a point."

The red-masked turtle ducked his head slightly while their father continued.

"I placed an immense trust upon the four of you, from the time you were very young. Though I was forced to ask myself if I did the right thing thrusting such responsibility on your shoulders, I think I will not have much room for doubt now.

"You may have been forced to do questionable things in order to survive. However, at all times, you maintained control. Faced by overwhelming odds, a near certainty of capture or death, you did not respond in kind to misguided attackers. You contained the violence you are capable of, and did no great harm to anyone. You saved yourselves and me.

"Knowing that you were able to escape using nothing more than courage and manipulation leaves me with great confidence for your future. Having shown such great restraint in the face of immense opposition proves to me the fine ninjas you have already become. I take pride in the way you acted."

Leonardo swallowed, hesitant to accept the praise. "We caused a lot of damage."

Splinter focused on him keenly. "At some point, Leonardo, you must allow the small things to fall by the wayside. There will always be a reason to judge your own actions harshly, even when you have done your very best. Do you believe you did the best you could, musuko?"

The teen was surprised to feel emotion rising at the question. "I...think so? We didn't set out to destroy the warehouse or that car. But in the end, it felt like the only way to get those cops off our shells."

"An honorable warrior will not incite destruction, my son. But he also cannot take responsibility for every item which gets broken within an act of war. You did not start the fight, Leonardo. But you had to respond to it. You do not bear the weight of the damages incurred. If the police permitted us, we would have walked away peacefully without violence. No harm would have come to the property.

"If you allow these nagging doubts to remain unchecked, they will undermine your confidence and instincts. Do not give them such power over you, Leonardo."

"I'm trying not to. But I know there are things I could have done better."

"Regretting what is past will not enable you to change. Every experience is one you can learn from. But you should not wallow in them, Leonardo, or be buried under guilt. I am confident you did the best you could with the knowledge and tools at your disposal."

"Ya did, Leo," Raphael agreed, lightly grasping his arm. "I thought you were nuts at the time, and looking back, it still feels crazy. But if you weren't kinda insane, we wouldn't have made it out."

The teen laughed. "That almost felt like a compliment."

"It _is _a compliment, doofus. I couldn't have come up with anything like you did."

"I don't think any of us believed we'd make it," Donny offered. "But you still came up with something, and convinced everyone that we _could_. We would have been screwed without you, Leo."

"Forget about the junk they can fix." Mike scoffed. "All those cops have their lives, except for the one who blew himself up. And we have each other. That's what matters, ain't it?"

Leo nodded. "I didn't do any of it alone though. We were a team from start to finish. It's nice to know that even if something happens..." He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"Should you be forced to act without my counsel or assistance, you are capable of taking care of one another," Splinter said for him.

Leonardo glanced around the circle one more time. "We always will, Sensei. But promise me we won't have to perform any more solos for awhile."

"I can promise nothing, because I do not know what each day will hold, Leonardo. For the moment, I am deeply satisfied to realize that you and your brothers _are_ one. Wherever you go on the surface, whatever you do, bear the same honor and compassion you have demonstrated, and I will never have to fear I trained you in vain."

* * *

*** This is it for Solo. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read, and especially to connect with me. You have made me feel like I'm not alone.**

**My next project will be shorter, but introduce another key player into their world. **

**You may have noticed Links as well. It's not a oneshot. There is going to be more to the fic, as well as an alternate companion volume...where the events play out differently. I won't actively work on that pair of fics until the next one in the timeline is done.**

**Thanks for being there. **


End file.
